Fighting Light and Darkness
by Midna Azusa
Summary: Judai, prince of Neo Space, has always known that he had to fight against the Light of Destruction. However, the light isn't his only enemy. Can he win when he has to fight against light and darkness? Undergoing revision.
1. Prologue

**I'm back! This story takes place in Neo Space. This here is just a little preview. The real story starts next chapter. Anyway, enough of my rambling. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Kenta paced anxiously. He had been doing so for hours, waiting for word on his wife and the unborn child. As Neo Space was highly advanced, he wasn't worried about their safety—at least, that's what he said. His friend, Henri, could tell that Kenta wasn't being totally honest.

"Kenta, calm down. I'm sure Hikari is fine, and the little one will be strong and healthy, just like his father."

"You're right, Henri," Kenta sighed. "I'm sure you are. It's just that this is a first for me. My first-born child is on the way. I can't help but be a little anxious."

Henri smiled and said, "I was the same way when my boy Johan was born."

Just then the doctor approached the two men. "Sire, your child has been born. Congratulations, it's a boy."

"How is Hikari?" Kenta asked.

"Don't worry, my king, the queen is just fine. So is the boy."

Kenta nodded. "Good. Then bring me my son."

The doctor bowed and exited.

Henri smiled at his friend and said, "Congratulations. I suppose this means that Johan will have a new playmate, then?"

"Of course, my friend. I wouldn't have it any other way."


	2. Chapter 1

**Here's the first actual chapter! As always, constructive criticism is appreciated. Also, I've uploaded my first amv on Youtube if anyone wants to check it out. My username is the same as on here. Anyway, on with the story. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Haou, sir, have you seen the prince?" a woman asked.

Kenta sighed, trying to hide his irritation at the incompetence of his son's latest guardian. This was the tenth one in as many months.

"Do you mean to tell me that you have lost him again?"

The young woman looked down. "My apologies, sire, but he is quite the clever boy."

"And if he isn't careful, the Light of Destruction will get him before he becomes a man," Kenta snarled. The guardian cringed, causing Kenta to sigh. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be snapping at you. After all, you aren't the only one who can't keep track of that boy."

"He is his father's son, isn't he, darling?"

Kenta turned to see his wife and queen, Hikari, standing behind him with a smile on her face.

Smiling himself, Kenta dismissed the guardian, who hastily bowed before retreating. "Yes, he is. If I recall correctly, you and I met when I slipped away from my guardians and went into town."

"And you always made it home alive," Hikari said, smiling wryly. "I'm sure Judai will be just fine."

* * *

The city was teeming with life today. Everyone was out enjoying the festival. As the brunette walked down the street, he was amazed at how much there was to see. There were food stands, games, and several live attractions. He was so busy taking it all in that he didn't notice the blunette until he ran into him.

"Sorry," Judai muttered, looking down at the smaller boy. If he had to guess, the guy was probably about ten. He was dressed in brown pants, a green shirt, and a yellow jacket. The boy looked up at him, gray eyes showing behind his glasses.

"That's okay."

A voice behind Judai drew both boys' attention. "Sho! There you are."

Judai turned to see three people—a blonde girl with hazel eyes in a blue sun dress; a black-haired, black-eyed boy dressed all in black; and a black-haired man with a crocodile strapped to his back and a bandage over his right eye. Judai was just wondering if the animal was stuffed when it moved.

"Hi, guys. Sorry I'm late. I've been looking for you," the boy Judai had bumped into, apparently Sho, said.

"Who's this guy?" said the black-clad stranger.

Sho glanced at him before saying, "I don't know, but he seems familiar."

"Hey, guys!" Judai tensed when he heard that voice—he knew that one. It belonged to his best friend, Johan Andersen.

_Oh, great. Johan. Just what I needed..._

"Hey there, Johan. Where have you been, mate?"

Johan, a teal-haired boy with emerald green eyes, laughed and said, "Just being interrogated about the prince's whereabouts. Apparently he gave his guardian the slip and..."

Judai smiled nervously as Johan trailed off, looking straight at the prince. Johan smirked and finished, "And decided to come to the festival."

The other four looked from Johan to Judai in confusion for a moment before realizing what Johan was implying.

"Wait, you're saying this is the prince?" they said in unison.

Johan laughed. "Yeah, he's the prince. Judai, meet Asuka, Sho, Manjoume, and Jim." Johan gestured to each as he introduced them. The crocodile wiggled, and Johan added, "And, of course, Karen."

"Why do you have a live crocodile strapped to your back?" Judai asked, dumbfounded. Johan and the others laughed at his reaction.

"Jim gets that a lot," Asuka said with a smile. "Don't worry, Karen is perfectly harmless."

"If you say so" was all Judai said in response.

"Anyway," Johan said, preventing anyone from interrogating Judai, "we didn't meet up just to stand here talking all day. There's a festival going on, and it won't wait for us!" He looked thoughtful for a moment before amending, "Well, not most of us."

The group laughed at this as Manjoume claimed to be the one for whom they would hold the festival off. Judai smiled; maybe his cover had been blown, but it didn't seem there was any risk of these guys telling anyone, especially with Johan around. He might actually have the chance to have some fun today.


	3. Chapter 2

**Okay, here's the next chapter! It should get more interesting next chapter. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Come on, Jim! You've got this!"

Jim raised his arm, took aim, and threw the ball, knocking over all the bottles. The group cheered as the game operator handed Jim his prize.

"Who knew that festivals were so much fun! I've got to sneak out of the castle and come to them more often," Judai said with a smile.

Johan laughed. "Yeah, next time I'll help you."

"Me, too!" Sho said. "You can't keep missing out on all the fun, Judai."

Asuka sighed. "Are you sure that you should be sneaking out of the castle often? I mean, the reason you aren't allowed to run around out here on your own is for your own safety."

"Asuka, I can take care of myself. Besides, what could possibly happen?"

* * *

The sun had set by the time Judai slipped back into the castle that night. Creeping through the halls, he was hoping that he could play it like he had been on the roof all day or something. After all, it wouldn't be the first time.

"Judai, where have you been?"

Judai tensed at the angry female voice behind him. No, it wasn't his mother and it wasn't his guardian. It was someone even scarier: his longtime friend, Yubel. He turned to face her.

"Oh, hey, Yubel! I've been on the roof. Thought I'd skip my lessons today and relax, you know?"

Yubel's green eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Don't give me that, Judai. I checked the roof and there was no sign of you." She walked forward until she was up in his face. "Now tell me the truth."

Judai sighed in defeat. "I went to the festival in town." Before she could yell at him, he added, "And I made some new friends."

The look on Yubel's face told Judai that she was debating whether to strangle him. "Am I not good enough for you?"

"Yubel," Judai said, confused, "you can never have too many friends."

"It was bad enough when you had Johan to devote so much of your time to, but now there are more people that I have to compete with?"

Groaning in irritation, Judai said, "Yubel, you're more than welcome to hang out with us. No one ever said that I wanted to be alone with any one of my friends."

Yubel was silent for a moment. Then, she said, "Your father is not going to be happy when he hears this."

"Please, Yubel, don't tell him!" Judai begged. "If he knew that I snuck out, he'd kill me!"

A sigh from Yubel told him that his pleas had not fallen on deaf ears. "Fine, I won't tell him. Just make sure you take me with you next time, okay?"

"Deal."

* * *

Asuka sighed at the knock on her bedroom door. "Who is it?"

"It's just me, sis!" said a brunette as he opened the door.

"Hi, Fubuki. Do you need something?"

"Nope. Just thought I'd find out what you've been up to all day." He eyed her slyly, as though she had spent the day on a date.

Asuka groaned, "Nii-san."

Fubuki laughed.

"I went to the festival with Sho, Manjoume, Jim, and Johan."

"Was there anyone else? Because I could have sworn I saw your little group with a new addition," Fubuki said.

"Judai. He's a friend of Johan," Asuka answered simply.

Fubuki's eyes widened. "Hey, isn't Judai the name of the prince?"

"Is it?" she asked nonchalantly.

"You spent the day with the prince! Just imagine what would happen if he fell for you. You'd be the next queen of Neo Space!"

"Fubuki, get out!" Asuka exclaimed, throwing a pillow at him.

Laughing, he closed the door, leaving Asuka to her thoughts. Sure, Judai was an interesting guy, but she doubted that there was any chance of the two of them falling in love with each other. They were just friends. Besides, life as a princess or queen wasn't exactly what she had in mind for her future.

* * *

Fubuki returned to his room, shutting the door behind him. As he did so, his white shirt and blue jeans turned black, and a long, black coat appeared on him. His face was covered by a black mask with a red gem on the forehead.

"So, the prince is running around town unprotected, is he?" Fubuki mused. "This will work perfectly then."


	4. Chapter 3

**Sorry for the wait! Writer's block crept up on me. Anyway, here's the next chapter. I will try to update more often. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Judai stifled a yawn as he sat through yet another boring lecture. He could think of about a hundred things he would rather be doing at that moment. For instance, hanging out with his friends.

"My prince, am I boring you?" his tutor snapped.

Judai jumped. "Oh, no. Carry on," he answered hastily.

His tutor just sighed.

"Excuse me, but can I borrow the prince for awhile?" Judai smiled as Yubel asked. This was sort of a routine for them: When Judai needed a break from his studies, Yubel would ask to see him for awhile. Judai had the feeling that this only worked so well because everyone was expecting the two of them to get married. Even Yubel herself seemed to think that was going to happen, but Judai didn't dare tell anyone that he wasn't really interested in marrying his friend and occasional babysitter.

"Oh, all right, Yubel." The tutor turned away, grumbling about how Judai wasn't learning anything anyway.

The two of them left the room, laughing at the tutor's expense. "You know, we really should stop doing this already. You're fifteen. It's about time that you took your studies more seriously. After all, you'll be the supreme king of Neo Space one day." With a wry smile, Yubel added, "Although I have to admit, the reactions we get are pretty funny."

"Yubel, I'm not ready to grow up just yet," Judai said casually. "I've got plenty of time before I have to take the throne, and I want to enjoy my relative freedom while I can. I mean, once I'm Haou, there's no way I'll be able to get away with half the stuff I can do right now."

"Like sneaking out of the castle?" Yubel asked.

"Exactly."

"Speaking of which, these other friends of yours are going to wonder where you are if you don't hurry up."

Judai looked at Yubel. "You're coming too, right?"

With a sigh, Yubel said, "I might as well. Somebody has to make sure you don't get into too much trouble after all."

Judai nudged her for this comment; Yubel just laughed.

* * *

"Shouldn't he have been here by now?" Manjoume asked, irritated. "We don't have all day."

"Keep your shirt on, mate. He's the prince. Getting out here to see us can't be easy for him," Jim said.

Asuka glanced around nervously. Her brother had insisted on tagging along today to meet "his sister's future husband," as he called Judai. Honestly, she was hoping that Judai wouldn't show up so that Fubuki couldn't embarrass her.

No such luck.

"Hey, guys! Sorry I took so long," Judai called as he came running over.

"What kept you?" Manjoume demanded.

Judai looked at him, dumbfounded. "Well, it could be the fact that I'm the crowned prince, but I had lessons that I had to attend. Then Yubel was late getting me out of them." He said the last part with a grin.

Asuka glared at him. "You really should take your studies more seriously!" she said. "You're going to be Haou one day, and if you don't take anything seriously now, what kind of king will you be?"

"Excuse me, blondie, but scolding Judai is the job of those who live in the castle and actually matter, such as me," a green-eyed girl with purple hair said. With a gold necklace and a gemstone on her forehead, she was obviously nobility. Asuka bristled at the sight of her.

"Who's this?"

"Guys, this is Yubel. She's a friend of mine. Yubel, meet Manjoume, Jim, Sho, and Asuka. You already know Johan," Judai answered. Then, looking at Fubuki, he asked, "And who's that?"

Before Asuka could answer, Fubuki stepped forward. "I'm Fubuki Tenjoin, Asuka's older brother. It's a pleasure to meet you." Leaning over, he whispered in Judai's ear, "This Yubel isn't your girlfriend or anything, is she?"

"What? No!" Judai answered. What was with this guy? What did it matter to him?

It clicked a second later.

"You want me to marry your sister and make her queen of Neo Space," Judai answered, his voice carefully controlled. "You want to make sure that you have some control over the kingdom."

"Judai, that's not it at all," Asuka protested hastily. "Fubuki is a hopeless romantic. He keeps a list of all the girls who have ever written him a love letter. Trust me, he has no interest in the political aspect of any marriage." She glared at her brother. "And this is why I didn't want you to come. I knew you would do something like this!"

Fubuki laughed. "Sorry, sis." He then turned his attention back to Judai. "Though I hope none of you mind if I borrow him for a moment. I need to speak with Judai in private. I mean, there are some things he needs to know if he's going to be friends with my little sis."

Asuka opened her mouth to say that she did mind, but Fubuki was already leading Judai off. Yubel moved to follow, but Judai shook his head.

"It's okay," he told Yubel. "He seems harmless."

Yubel sighed, shaking her head, but she let him go.

Judai followed Fubuki into an alley. "So what do you want to talk about exactly?" Judai asked.

Fubuki laughed a bit. "That was just a ruse. I can't let my sister know what I'm really up to." He turned, a duel disk appearing on his arm as he did so. "What I want is a duel."

Judai looked confused. Why couldn't he let Asuka know that he wanted to duel? Unless he had some ulterior motive...

"What do you want if you win?" Judai asked, realizing that this guy wasn't so harmless after all.

"If I win, you come with me. If you win, I'll let you go," Fubuki answered simply.

Judai wasn't sure if he should believe that or not, but he activated his duel disk, ready to crush this guy.

What he wasn't ready for was the shadows that descended.

"Hey, what is this?" Judai asked.

"This, my prince, is a shadow game. You and I will duel in the shadows. Only the loser will be permitted to escape with his life," Fubuki said. As he spoke, his outfit changed. He was dressed all in black and wearing a mask.

"Why does it feel like I should know you?" Judai asked.

Fubuki smiled evilly. "If you win, maybe you'll find out."

* * *

Manjoume tapped his foot in irritation. "What are they talking about that's taking them so long?"

Asuka had a bad feeling. Something was off with her brother. "Maybe we should go after them," she suggested.

"Why? Do you suspect your brother is less than honest with you?" Yubel said, eying Asuka with distaste.

"He hasn't been acting like himself lately," she answered. "I'm not sure what he's doing, but I have a bad feeling that it isn't good."

Yubel cursed, running off in the direction the two boys had gone. Asuka followed. The guys looked at each other, then went after the girls.

**There you have it! For this story, duel disks appear whenever a Neo Spacian engages in a duel, like how it worked for some of the monsters in Dark World in season 3.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Sorry for the wait! Writers block and all. But this is the longest chapter so far, so hopefully that makes up for it. If you think I messed up any of the card effects or the math in the duel, let me know in a review (hint, hint). I put the attack or defense points of the monsters in parenthesis after their names, depending on what mode they're in. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Judai glanced at the cards in his hand. _Not bad_, he thought.

"I'll go first!" said Fubuki, drawing a card from his deck. "I summon Red Eyes Black Chick, and, with its special effect, I summon Red Eyes Black Dragon (Atk 2400) from my hand!"

He played the cards on the disk as he spoke. The little black dragon had barely materialized when he sacrificed it, replacing it with a much more powerful dragon.

Slightly unnerved, Judai said, "A high-level monster on the first turn..." Recovering, he added, "But you can't attack on the first turn."

"Maybe not, but I don't have to." Fubuki pulled a card from his hand and held it up for Judai to see. "Inferno Fire Blast! With this card's effect, you take damage equal to the attack points of the Red Eyes on my field."

A fireball came straight at Judai, hitting him with 2400 points of damage. He cried out in agony as searing pain shot through his body, as though the blast that had just hit him had been real.

"W-what's going on? Why did that hurt?"

Fubuki laughed. "I told you, prince. This is a shadow game. In this duel, you feel real pain."

Judai growled. "Tenjoin! This duel is sick!"

"I end my turn" was Fubuki's only reply.

"Then it's my turn," Judai grumbled, drawing his card. _I need to get rid of that Red Eyes._ He looked over his cards. _I don't have any monsters that can beat it, but I can make one._

"Are you ready, Tenjoin!? I activate Polymerization! And I'm fusing the Sparkman, Bubbleman, and Avian in my hand to create Elemental Hero Tempest!" (Atk 2800)

A man with green hair, clad in blue and yellow armor and with green wings, appeared on Judai's side of the field.

Fubuki gritted his teeth. "That's stronger than my Red Eyes."

"You catch on quick, Tenjoin!" Judai taunted. "Since my monster has more attack points, he's attacking!"

Tempest launched himself into the air before coming down and striking the black dragon, destroying it.

"Your dragon has been slayed," Judai said smugly. "I play a card face down and end my turn."

Fubuki glared as he drew his card. However, one glance at his draw had him laughing like a maniac in no time.

"What's so funny?" Judai asked. _What did he draw?_

"What I just drew will allow me to defeat your hero easily," Fubuki answered. "I activate Monster Reborn to bring back my Red Eyes that you just destroyed. But he's not staying long. I sacrifice him to summon my Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!" (Atk 2400)

Another dragon was appearing on the field. It was black, like the previous two, but with red designs and jewels. Not to mention that this one felt evil. But something was off...

"Your monster has less attack points than Tempest! How are you going to destroy it?"

Fubuki smirked. "Patience is a virtue. I was getting to that. My Darkness Dragon has a special ability. For every dragon-type monster in my graveyard, it gains 300 attack points!" He held up his duel disk and said, "There are two dragons in my grave, so my monster gains 600 points!"

Red Eyes Darkness Dragon's attack power rose to 3000, making it stronger than Tempest. Judai grimaced.

"Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, attack Tempest!"

* * *

"Judai! Damn, how far could they have gone!?" Yubel said in annoyance.

"Maybe we should split up," Asuka suggested.

Johan nodded. "That's a good idea. Whoever finds them first, give the rest of us a call. Yubel, stay with one of us so we can get in touch with you." He turned and ran off in search of Judai and Fubuki, the rest of the group following his lead.

Asuka called desperately, not only for Judai but for her brother as well. She may have suspected that Fubuki was acting strange, but she still hoped that she was wrong.

Her calls were never answered, but she did find them. Dueling.

"Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, attack Tempest!" her brother called as his dragon prepared to attack the monster on Judai's field. But there was something wrong...

_Red Eyes Darkness Dragon?_ she thought. Since when did her brother have a card like that? And what was he wearing?

Judai's monster was destroyed, and he lost another 400 life points. Asuka noted, slightly startled, that Judai was down to 1200 life points while her brother still had almost all of his, only missing 400. She also decided that Judai had to be a really dramatic guy because the way he screamed when his monster was destroyed was like he had felt the blast, which was impossible because duel disks didn't bring out real monsters.

"I'll place one card face down and end my turn," Fubuki said.

Judai was panting, which Asuka figured was overkill for his act. She was about to tell him to cut it out and act his age when she noticed that he was trembling, as if the pain were real.

"Judai?" she asked worriedly.

Judai started, then turned to her. "Asuka."

"Judai, what's going on here? Is that Fubuki? Why is he dressed like that?"

Glaring back at his opponent, Judai answered, "Your brother challenged me to a duel. If he wins, I'm his. So, yeah, that's Fubuki. As for the outfit, I don't have a clue."

"Wait a minute, are you saying my brother is trying to kidnap you!?" At Judai's nod, Asuka protested, "That's insane! He would never do that."

"Maybe you don't know him as well as you think."

Asuka stood there trying to wrap her mind around what Judai was saying. There was no way it was possible. Fubuki was a total flirt, a huge embarrassment, and often a major nuisance, but he was certainly not a kidnapper.

_What is wrong with him lately?_

* * *

"Alright, it's my turn. Draw!" Judai looked at the card he had just drawn. _This just might work._

He glanced at Asuka before starting his turn. He had hated to suggest that her brother was anything other than what she thought him to be, but that was certainly what it seemed like. That, or he was working for the light of destruction and just wasn't wearing the right uniform.

"I play one card face down, and activate The Warrior Returning Alive. This lets me add the Bubbleman in my graveyard to my hand. Now I summon him!" (Def 1200)

"That monster won't last one round," Fubuki taunted.

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Bubbleman has a special ability. When I summon him, if he's the only card on my field, I get to draw two cards!" After drawing, Judai continued, "Now I activate Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two more cards." Glancing at the cards in his hand now, Judai couldn't help but grin. "I end my turn."

Fubuki didn't even glance at the card he drew before declaring an attack with his dragon. "Destroy that weakling!"

Bubbleman was destroyed; now was Judai's chance.

"I activate my face down card, Hero Signal! When one of my monsters is destroyed, this card lets me summon a level 4 or less Elemental Hero from my deck or hand. And I choose Elemental Hero Burstinatrix!" (Atk 1200)

"What's she going to do except prolong your life by one turn?"

"If you're done, you'll see soon enough," Judai responded, drawing his card. "I activate Monster Reborn to bring Sparkman back from the graveyard. Next, I activate Miracle Fusion! This lets me fuse monster on my field and in my graveyard. So I remove the Avian in my graveyard and the Burstinatrix on my field from the game! Come out, Flame Wingman!" (Atk 2100).

"So what? That monster has less attack points than my Darkness Dragon," Fubuki said.

Judai feigned a look of surprise. "He does?" He pretended to check the card. "Well, so he does. Oh well, I guess I'll have to use this!" Holding up the last card in his hand, he continued, "Polymerization! I'll fuse the Sparkman and Flame Wingman on my field. This lets me summon another hero, one that will defeat your Darkness Dragon! Say hello to Elemental Hero Shining Flare Wingman!" (Atk 2500)

As Judai called out the creature's name, it appeared; the monster was clad in glowing armor, brightening up the whole alley. Asuka stared. Fubuki, on the other hand, did not seem impressed.

"Your monster still has less attack points than my Darkness Dragon."

Judai grinned and said, "You should know all about special abilities, shouldn't you? Shining Flare Wingman has an ability similar to your Darkness Dragon's. For every Elemental Hero in my graveyard, he gains 300 points!" Holding up his duel disk, Judai said, "I count three, so that's 900 extra points! That gives him 3400 attack points, more than enough to defeat your dragon! So I attack!"

Shining Flare Wingman slashed through Red Eyes Darkness Dragon, dealing Fubuki 400 points of damage and bringing his life down to 3200.

"Now for Shining Flare's other ability: When he destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to that monster's attack!"

"What!?" Fubuki exclaimed as the dragon's attack points were deducted from his life points.

Judai's life points: 1200

Fubuki's life points: 800

Fubuki grimaced. "I activate my face down card! Rope of Life!" Fubuki sent the last card in his hand to the graveyard, and Red Eyes Darkness Dragon rose out of the ground. "This has me discard my entire hand to summon the monster that you just destroyed, and he gets an 800 point power-up. Meaning, he now has 3800 attack points!"

Judai suppressed a cry of frustration. He had just destroyed that thing and it was back already. "Turn end."

Fubuki drew his next card, then said, "I don't think this duel will last much longer. You are going to lose, prince. Darkness Dragon, attack!"

The dragon fired a blast at Judai's monster, bringing his life down to 800. "We're tied," Fubuki said with a smirk.

"Yeah, but that won't last for long! It's my turn now."

Judai looked at the card that he drew. _Alright, this could work._

"I activate Card of Sanctity*! This'll help you as much as it does me. We both draw until we have 6 cards in our hands."

_Come on, deck. Help me out here_.

Looking at the cards he had drawn, Judai couldn't suppress a grin. "Well, seems my deck came through for me again, Tenjoin," he said. "I summon Neo-Spacian Glow Moss." (Atk 300)

"Next, I activate a magic card, Fake Hero! This lets me summon an Elemental Hero card from my hand, so come on out, Neos!"

The white and red hero of Neo Space appeared on the field. Judai continued, "However, he can't attack, and he goes back to my hand at the end phase. But that's not a problem because Neos can contact fuse with Neo-Spacians!"

"What!?"

"Glow Moss! Neos! Contact fuse!"

The two monsters did as they were commanded, flying off into the sky and merging with each other on contact. The creature that resulted was clad in glowing armor that somewhat resembled Neos's armor.

"Meet Elemental Hero Glow Neos. And he has a special effect. Once every turn, he can destroy one of the cards you control, and, depending on the type of card, he gets a special ability. There's only one card on your field, so you know what he's destroying!"

On cue, Red Eyes Darkness Dragon was blasted by Glow Neos, destroying it.

"However, when Glow Neos destroys a monster card, he can't attack," Judai admitted.

"Then you end your turn?" Fubuki asked.

Judai smirked. "Not quite. I activate another magic card, Contact Out! This card sends one Neos fusion on my field back to my deck and lets me summon the monsters used for the fusion. Which means, Neos and Glow Moss are back!"

Fubuki took a step back, looking nervous.

"Your field is wide open, Tenjoin. So, are you ready? Neos attacks!"

Neos dealt Fubuki a direct attack, reducing his life points to 0 and winning the duel for Judai. Asuka started toward her brother, but Judai fell to his knees, drawing her attention.

"Judai, are you all right?" she asked, running over to him instead.

"I'll be fine," he replied between breaths. "Just make sure your brother is okay."

Asuka looked at him in confusion for a moment before he clarified, "It obviously wasn't him dueling me. He didn't even react when you showed up. Besides, I've heard about Fubuki Tenjoin from some of the servants in the castle. He definitely wasn't acting anything like they claim." Taking a deep breath, he continued, "That duel was dangerous. He said the loser would lose his life?"

That got Asuka's attention. She ran to her brother's side, checking for a pulse. "He's still alive."

"Yeah, that's what I thought. He was exaggerating." With these words, Judai passed out.

For a moment, Asuka wasn't sure what to do. She was crouching in an alley with two unconscious boys, one of which was the prince of Neo Space. "Oh, what am I thinking?" she said, slapping herself in the face as she remembered that she was supposed to call the others.

She pulled out her phone and scrolled through her contacts until she found Jim's entry, deciding to call him first. After all, he carried a 500-pound crocodile on his back daily, so moving an unconscious teenager couldn't be any more difficult.

***I used the anime effect for this card, not the real one.**


	6. Chapter 5

**Okay, this has to be the quickest update yet for this story. Flashbacks are in bold. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Asuka!" Jim called as he ran up to her. He stopped when the scene before him caught his attention. "Crikey, sheila, you didn't tell me they were both passed out. What happened, exactly?"

Asuka sighed. "Can we save the explanations until the others get here, Jim? I really don't want to go over it four times."

Jim nodded. "Right, then. But Yubel won't be happy to see this."

"She should be glad that he's been found at all."

* * *

Johan stared at the phone in irritation. Way to make him worry more, Asuka.

**Johan ran through town, growing increasingly worried. Nobody had found Judai yet, and they had to have searched the entire town by now. Suddenly, his phone went off.**

"**Yeah, what's up?" he answered, not even bothering to check who was calling.**

"**Johan, I've found Judai," Asuka said on the other end of the line. "He's okay, but he passed out. I need help getting him and my brother somewhere safe. We're in an alley on the west side of town, close to the theater. Hurry up and get over here."**

"**Wait a minute, what do you mean Judai passed out? Asuka?"**

**She had hung up on him.**

"That girl is going to drive me crazy," Johan muttered, heading off to find her.

* * *

Jim stood at the entrance of the alley, waiting for the others, specifically Sho. After all, knowing Sho, he would likely run right past the alley without seeing them and keep going until he hit Dark World. Sure enough, Sho came running over, moving faster than a speeding bullet.

"Whoa there, mate!" Jim said, throwing his arm out to catch him. "Crikey, you're really worried about Judai, aren't you?"

"Jim!" Sho said, sounding a little shocked.

"Try watching where you're going in the future, Sho," Jim said, causing Sho to blush.

Changing the subject, Sho said, "Where's Judai?" Jim pointed behind him, and Sho darted over to Judai's unconscious form.

"One disaster averted. I think."

That was when Manjoume arrived with Yubel.

"Where is he!?" the girl demanded. "Where's Judai!?"

"Calm down, Yubel. I told you, Asuka said he's fine." Manjoume sounded annoyed, like he was tired of saying that.

"If he's passed out, he's not fine!" she yelled. Asuka sighed, looking over at the purple-haired girl.

Yubel didn't wait for an answer. She spotted Judai lying on the ground with Sho next to him, and she ran over to her prince.

"What happened to him? Tell me!" Yubel demanded, glaring at Asuka.

Before Asuka had a chance to answer, Johan's voice spoke from behind her. "I'd like to know that myself. Well, Asuka? Care to fill us all in?"

Sighing, Asuka told them what she knew. "When I found them, Fubuki and Judai were in the middle of a duel. Judai told me that Fubuki was trying to kidnap him or something. However," she said, raising a hand to Yubel, who was about to interrupt, "he also said, after the duel, that it wasn't my brother he was dueling. Judai won, but it seems their duel took a lot out of him. My brother passed out, and Judai followed soon after."

"That doesn't make sense," Johan said. "Judai could duel all day and never end up like this."

"I don't know why the duel took so much out of him. You'll have to ask him when he wakes up, but for now we need to get him somewhere that he can rest."

Taking the hint, Manjoume picked Judai up bridal style. Jim went to get Fubuki.

Yubel looked at him in distaste. "Why don't you just leave _that _here?"

Asuka glared at her. "That's my brother you're talking about."

"I know."

The two girls glared at each other a moment before Johan stepped between them.

"Easy, girls. Is now really the time?" he asked.

Yubel turned away, arms crossed. Asuka continued to glare at her for a moment before turning away.

"Come on, let's take them to my place," Jim said.

* * *

Nearby, a man was watching the group of teenagers, frowning. He had spiky black hair and wore black armor. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses.

"So, that wasn't enough to defeat Judai Yuki," he mused. "Well, no matter. He will be dealt with soon enough."

* * *

The group entered Jim's home, looking around. "What will your parents say if they seen the prince in their house unconscious?" Johan asked.

"They won't. They aren't home right now. Besides, with any luck, they wouldn't know it was him anyway," Jim answered. "Why don't you blokes take Judai to the guest room? It's down the hall to the right. I'll take care of Fubuki here."

Asuka followed Jim to his room, where he lay Fubuki down on the bed.

"Now we just wait for one of them to wake up."

Asuka nodded, hoping that her brother would be back to normal when he woke. "I'll stay with Fubuki, if you don't mind, Jim," she said.

"Go right ahead, sheila," Jim said before leaving to check on his other guest.

Asuka looked at her brother. _What has gotten into you, brother?_ _You haven't been yourself at all lately._

She wasn't entirely sure she wanted an answer.

* * *

Judai moaned. His head was throbbing, and the rest of his body wasn't feeling much better.

"Judai?" Yubel. Great, she was going to kill him for being so reckless. Well, might as well get that unpleasantness out of the way.

"Hey, Yubel," he mumbled, opening his eyes. She opened her mouth, presumably to scold him for running off with a stranger without any protection, but Judai stopped her. "Please don't start that right now. I have a headache."

"You're lucky that's all you have," Yubel muttered, obviously annoyed.

"Hey, he's awake!" Judai smiled at the sound of that voice. He sat up as the smallest one of his friends ran over to the bed. "How are you feeling, Judai?"

"I'm fine, Sho. Don't worry about me. Where's Asuka's brother?"

"He just woke up." Yubel, Sho, and Judai turned toward the doorway when they heard that voice.

Yubel jumped up, looking menacing. "Stay away from him, Tenjoin!" she yelled at their guest. Fubuki Tenjoin was standing, or rather leaning, in the doorway with his concerned sister right behind him.

"Stand down, Yubel. Back to normal, Fubuki?"

Fubuki looked stunned. "And here I thought I was in trouble. Are you insane? I just tried to kidnap you!"

"It wasn't you" was Judai's quick response. "And this is proof enough for me. Yubel, have a seat." He said the last part casually enough, but Yubel could hear the underlying threat and, reluctantly, complied.

Fubuki just stood there, shaking his head. "You're incredible."

"No, he's just insane, like you said," Yubel commented scathingly.

Ignoring that comment, Judai said, "I can't blame you for your actions any more than I can blame light drones for their actions. It's not like you were acting on your own free will. So, care to tell me what was going on?"

Fubuki walked over, Asuka supporting him. She mumbled something about him being out of bed, but Fubuki didn't acknowledge her. He sat down on a chair next to the bed. Yubel eyed him suspiciously.

"I can't really say. It's sort of a blur. I remember...a shadow...and then...I was surrounded by darkness. The next thing I know, I'm lying in a strange bed with my sister sitting by my side looking worried." He turned to Asuka with a smirk. "Which, I must say, is an improvement over how she usually looks at me."

Asuka smacked him upside the head for this comment. "He's back to normal," she said.

Judai crossed his arms. "So you're saying you don't know what happened to you." Fubuki shook his head, and Judai continued, "Well, it seems I have a hidden enemy."

"Nothing new for you," Yubel said with a shrug.

"You got that right!" Judai smirked.

"Well, whoever it is, we'll take him on together," said Johan as he entered the room with Jim and Manjoume. "Just like always."

"How many people have come after you?" Manjoume asked.

Judai grinned at him. "Manjoume, I'm the crown prince. Who wouldn't want to get their hands on me?"

"...And you still sneak out of the castle, risking your safety, to hang out with us?" Manjoume's tone added the unspoken words "you're an idiot."

"Yup!" Judai said with a smile. Manjoume sighed and mumbled something about the end of the world.

"So," Judai said, getting back on subject, "you say there was a shadow and then you were surrounded by darkness?"

"Yeah," Fubuki confirmed.

Yubel looked amused as she said, "Well, the darkness as your enemy, Judai? That's a bit odd, don't you think?"

Judai laughed nervously while the others just looked confused. Everyone but Johan, who clarified, "Inside joke. You're not supposed to get it."

"Yeah, well, what are we going to do about this enemy?" Manjoume said, getting impatient.

Yubel answered, "Well, I would say that Judai should stop sneaking out until he's found and caught, but I know that's not going to happen. So we'll have to find out who this enemy is and deal with him ourselves."

"I like that plan, Yubel," Judai said.

Looking annoyed, Yubel said, "I knew you would. Of course, this plan involves you staying out of trouble, you know that, right?"

"Yeah, I know. Don't worry, I won't go looking for trouble. I usually don't have to anyway."

Yubel closed her eyes. "Don't remind me."

"Anyway, Fubuki, think you could let us know if you remember anything else? We can't really do anything with the information we have. Anything you remember about what happened to you would be really helpful," Judai said.

Fubuki nodded. "Right. I'll let you know if I remember anything."

* * *

It didn't take long for trouble to find Judai again. A week later, he was taking a nap on the roof, avoiding a lecture from Cronos in the process. After all, he had better things to do than listen to Cronos tell him that he was a slacker and would lead the kingdom to ruin if he didn't start taking his studies seriously.

There was a sudden gust of wind, and not a normal one. Judai sat up and found himself looking at a man with olive hair clad all in black. What really got Judai's attention, though, was the mask. He was wearing a mask just like that of Fubuki, except his covered his entire face.

"Okay, if you're not suspicious, I don't know who is. Who are you!?" Judai said, getting to his feet.

"My name is Fujiwara. Not that you need to know. You won't be around much longer anyway," the stranger answered.

"Oh, I won't?"

"No. Judai Yuki, my master finds you to be a threat to his ambitions. Therefore, you must be eliminated." As Fujiwara spoke, a duel disk appeared on his arm.

"Oh, so you want to duel?" Judai asked. "Fine by me."

"Not quite." Fujiwara placed a card on his duel disk. "Like I said, you must be eliminated. I can't take the chance that you might actually defeat me."

The monster that appeared was one Judai had never seen before. It was a humanoid creature, clad in black armor and wearing a cape. The weird part is that it was encased in a clear crystal.

"What is that thing?" Judai asked.

"Clear Vicious Knight," Fujiwara said, "attack Judai."

The monster came in for an attack. Judai didn't have time to block, so he dodged to the side. "So that's how you want to play, huh? Fine by me!" As Judai spoke, his duel disk appeared. Taking a card from his deck, he placed it on the disk. "Come on out, Neos!"

Neos appeared, ready to fight the clear monster. However, Fujiwara was prepared as well.

"Clear Vice Dragon, come forth!" he called.

A black dragon, also encased in crystal, appeared behind Fujiwara. But something didn't add up...

"That monster doesn't have any attack points!" Judai exclaimed.

"Wrong again, prince. Clear Vice Dragon has twice as many attack points as the monster it attacks. So, attack his Neos!"

The dragon fired at Neos, effectively destroying the monster. The back-draft from the attack sent Judai flying, right off the roof of the castle! He was about to summon another monster when an unexpected attack from Clear Vicious Knight nearly sliced his face open. He raised his arm to defend himself and the blow hit his duel disk instead, breaking it. Less than a second later, he crashed down into the garden, falling through the branches of a tree.

Fujiwara watched with satisfaction as Judai hit the ground. There was no way he could still be alive. But, just to be safe, he sent Clear Vicious Knight to make sure he was dead. Fujiwara left, leaving the deed to be completed by his trusted monster.

That's why he didn't see his monster's eyes start glowing as it turned to fight another enemy. Clear Vicious Knight, eyes glowing, turned to attack a two-headed dragon with a face on its torso and eyes on its knees. Even though the dragon had no attack points, the knight was the one that was destroyed.

Yubel removed her card from her duel disk, slipping it back into her deck, and ran over to the unconscious figure lying beneath the tree. She knelt down beside him and checked for a pulse, breathing a sigh of relief when she felt one.

"Don't worry, Judai. You're going to be fine," she said, more to herself than him, before she gently picked him up and took him to the infirmary.


	7. Chapter 6

**Okay, here's a new chapter. First off, to the person who keeps asking me to use English names, I'm a little far into this story to switch over to the English names at this point. I was used to the Japanese names when I started this because I was watching the series in Japanese, but a later story will likely use the English names. Anyway, enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Johan stood nervously just outside the infirmary. He couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that washed over him upon hearing that Judai had been attacked; he should have told the royal guard or the Supreme King about the incident in town! He had called the others and informed them of what had happened, but he didn't expect them to gain entry into the castle. That's why it was such a surprise when Sho came running over.

"Johan!" There was a somewhat dazed guard following Sho, looking as though he didn't know whether to drag the boy out of the castle or let him stay. "How's Judai?"

"I don't know yet. How did you get in here?" Johan glanced at the guard questioningly.

The guard shrugged and said, "He kept referring to the prince by name, so I wasn't sure what to make of it. Then there was the fact that he knew the prince had been attacked. I was planning to take him to the dungeon to be held for questioning, but the moment I let him inside the castle, he made a break for it. Seeing as he knows you, I'm assuming he isn't a threat, but that doesn't tell me how he knows the prince. So, Johan Andersen, I think you have some explaining to do now."

Johan sighed, sweating a little. This would take some serious explaining that was likely to get him in trouble.

* * *

Yubel, meanwhile, had already explained to the king everything that had happened. She changed a few details of the story, saying that Judai had sneaked out of the castle to accept a challenge from one of the townsfolk. Other than that, she left the story intact.

"So, there's an evil force after my son, and its controlling some of my people to get to him. Is that what you're saying?"

"Yes, your Highness. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it sooner. I just never thought that Judai would be attacked here, in the castle," Yubel said.

"I need to know about these things, Yubel," the king scolded. "If I don't know about enemies that are after my son, who knows what could happen to him?"

"Understood. I'll be sure to inform you of potential threats immediately in the future, sir."

A doctor interrupted them. "Sir, we've done all we can. The prince should be all right."

"How bad is he?" Yubel asked, unable to stop herself. She bit her tongue immediately afterward.

"He has a broken leg, severe bruising, and it's possible he may have a concussion. The good news is that seems to be the worst of it. Aside from that, he has minor cuts and scrapes all over his body," the doctor answered.

"What do you mean it's possible he has a concussion?" Yubel, again, couldn't stop herself.

The king looked at her disapprovingly; her tone was less than respectful. The doctor didn't say anything about it, though. "It's hard to detect a concussion. To know for sure, we'll need to wait until he wakes up."

"Well, the point is he will be fine. Thank you, doctor." The king turned to Yubel. "Why don't you go get Johan? I'm fairly certain I saw him lingering in the hallway earlier."

Yubel muttered about how he probably wasn't the only one now as she left, thoroughly confusing the king until he remembered that his son had indeed gone into town unsupervised before. Chuckling slightly, he went to go check on his son.

* * *

Johan was sweating buckets now. Soon after Sho had arrived, others had managed to get into the castle. Manjoume had claimed that he had a meeting with the king, pretending to be one of his brothers who actually did have a meeting later today, Jim had slipped in the servants' entrance, and Asuka had been brought here by her brother as a "potential bride for the prince."

"Somebody remind me why none of you could have told the truth," Johan inquired nervously; the guard who was escorting Sho was eying Johan now like me might arrest him here on the spot. He probably would have, too, if it weren't for the fact that Johan's father and the Supreme King were close friends.

"As if they would have let us in," Manjoume said. "We're not like you, able to come and go as we please."

"Trust me when I say that I probably won't be able to anymore either after today," Johan said sincerely, glancing at the guard nervously.

A voice spoke from the infirmary doorway, drawing everyone's attention. "Ah, it seems I was right. The whole circus is here," Yubel said in her usual tone.

"How's Judai?" everyone asked at once.

"He's okay. The Supreme King told me to come tell you, Johan. Although I don't think he'll be expecting the rest of you..."

Yubel trailed off as Sho bolted past her into the infirmary. Sighing, she said, "Well, what are you all standing there for? It's not like there's a person standing in the doorway," she said sarcastically, stepping aside to let them in.

* * *

Kenta stood by the bed, watching his son for any signs that he would be waking up soon. Suddenly, someone or something came charging into the room. Shocked, Kenta glanced at the blue-haired boy in glasses.

_That is certainly not Johan,_ he thought.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" he asked, debating whether to call the guards.

"I'm sorry, your Majesty!" Johan said, entering the room. He looked, and sounded, extremely nervous. "This is Sho. He's a friend of mine, and Judai met him recently, and they really hit it off, and we couldn't stop him from just charging in here..."

The king smiled. "Well, any friend of my son is welcome any time." Glancing around, he saw others. "Goodness, how many friends did he make when he was out of the castle?"

"They're all my friends," Johan clarified. "Judai knows them through me. This is Manjoume, Asuka, Jim, and, uh, Fubuki." He said the last with hesitation, not sure what exactly Yubel had told their king.

Kenta narrowed his eyes. "Fubuki Tenjoin, the one the girls are all swooning for?"

Breathing a sigh of relief, Fubuki said, "That's me. The master of love, Fubuki Tenjoin!"

Looking this boy over, Kenta could tell that, while evil may have possessed him in the past, he had no malicious intent. Kenta thought it best not to bring that up for now.

A moan from the bed drew everyone's attention. "Judai?" Kenta asked gently.

Judai moaned again, opening his eyes slowly. "Ugh, what hit me?"

"From what I could tell, nothing. Unless you count the ground," Yubel replied. "And the tree."

They could see the wheels turning as Judai tried to remember what had happened. "Right, I was attacked by some lunatic named Fujiwara."

"Did you say 'Fujiwara'!?" Fubuki exclaimed. Judai winced.

"Keep it down, will you?"

"Sorry. It's just that I know that name."

Asuka thought about it for a moment. "Wait a minute, wasn't that the name of one of your friends?"

Fubuki nodded. "He went missing about a year ago. Did you get his first name?"

Shaking his head, Judai said, "No. He only said his name was Fujiwara."

"How are you feeling, Judai?" Yubel asked, sending a death glare in Fubuki's direction.

"Honestly, I feel like I fell off the roof, which I did, so...normal?"

Yubel groaned at this statement. His father just laughed and said, "He's fine."

"Judai, how many fingers do you see?" Sho, who was practically on the bed, asked.

"Hey, Sho. Why don't you relax? You're going to give yourself a heart attack or something if you don't stop worrying so much." He paused, looking around at his surroundings, then asked, "Hey, how did you guys get in here anyway?"

"Sho nearly got arrested until the guards found out he knows me," Johan answered. "Then he nearly got us both arrested, and he would have if Manjoume hadn't come over at that moment, having pretended to be one of his older brothers."

Judai looked at Manjoume. "You have brothers?"

"Can we change the subject, please?" Manjoume said, sounding irritated.

"Anyway," Johan went on, "Then Jim showed up. He got in by pretending he was a servant and sneaking through the servants' entrance."

"It wouldn't have worked if my mate O'Brien hadn't helped me out," he admitted. "And mom thought that befriending a mercenary's son was a bad idea."

"A mercenary helped you sneak into the castle?" the Supreme King asked. "Remind me to keep an eye on this O'Brien. He sounds like someone I don't want to have as an enemy."

"Then Fubuki and Asuka showed up when he claimed that she was a potential bride for you," Johan finished.

Judai grinned. "You nearly got arrested?" he said, looking at Sho.

Sho shifted his weight. "I was worried."

"Potential bride?" the king said, casting an amused look at Asuka. "Interesting."

Blushing, Asuka said, "It was the best way to get in to see Judai."

"Or you could have tried telling the guards the truth. Then they would check with me to find out what to do." This caused Asuka's blush to deepen.

Fubuki had an answer to that one. "It wouldn't have been as much fun. Besides, she _is_ a possible bride for Judai, right sissy?"

Asuka slapped him for this comment.

"Well, Judai, in light of recent events, I want someone to be with you at all times. I don't care if it's one of the guards or Yubel, just so long as someone is there to keep you out of trouble." The king pondered this for a moment before adding, "Not that it's possible to keep you out of trouble, but we'll try anyway."

"Yes, father," Judai said in defeat, knowing that it would do no good to argue on this topic.

"Good. Well, with that established, I should get back to work. I'm posting a guard right outside in case anything happens. In other words, don't try sneaking out." The last part was added teasingly.

"Okay," Judai said with a slight grin, pretending that he was seriously considering it. With that, the king left.

Johan looked at Judai. "Seriously, though, how are you feeling?"

Judai groaned. "Are you guys going to ask me that every five minutes? I'm a little sore, but I'm okay."

Yubel raised an eyebrow. "A little sore?"

"So, Fujiwara," Judai said, changing the subject. "Did he duel? And, if he did, what kind of deck did he use?"

"He used a deck of Clear monsters. I never dueled him, but I've seen his deck in action," Fubuki answered.

"Clear monsters? Like, Clear Vice Dragon, Clear Vicious Knight, stuff like that?"

Raising an eyebrow, Yubel said, "From the sound of things, you've seen these cards. Which means, evil runs in their circle." She looked accusingly at Fubuki.

Sho paled. "Oh, I hope not," he muttered.

"No, it doesn't," Asuka said firmly. "My brother is not evil, and neither are his friends. So stop accusing them, Yubel!"

"Whoa, whoa, easy, now, sheila! We're in a hospital! You don't want to start a fight or anything," Jim said, attempting to keep things from getting out of hand.

"Yubel, I already told you Fubuki wasn't responsible for his actions. Cut it out already," Judai said.

A muttered apology from Yubel ended the incident, even if Asuka was still ticked.

"Anyway, Judai, it looks like you have to be more careful. No more acting like an idiot, got it? The last thing we need is a dead prince," Manjoume scolded.

Judai groaned in irritation. "I already got it, okay? I'll be more careful."

* * *

Meanwhile, Fujiwara knelt before a cloaked figure. The figure seemed irritated at least, and Fujiwara was rather unnerved by this.

"Not only do you fail to bring him to me, you try to kill him and fail at that as well! Can't you do anything right?"

Fujiwara didn't answer.

"Never mind. I'll just send someone else to do the deed." The cloaked figure glanced at a middle-aged man clad all in black. The man smiled before dissolving into shadows.


	8. Chapter 7

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

If there was one thing Judai hated to do, it was stay in bed. The doctor wanted him to take it easy for awhile, so he was being kept in the infirmary until further notice. Really, though, all he wanted was to get out of there.

"Come on, can't I at least go back to my room?" he asked the doctor.

"Sorry, but how do I know you'll stay in your room? I need to keep you where I can keep an eye on you," the doctor responded. "I mean, considering your past history." With that established, the doctor went to check on his other patients.

Sighing, Judai closed his eyes. He might as well get some rest.

A sudden gust of wind announced the presence of unwanted company. Judai opened his eyes to see a man dressed all in black. His hair was black, and his eyes were hidden behind sunglasses.

"And who are you, exactly?" Judai asked defensively, his duel disk appearing on his arm.

"Interesting question. I suppose you can call me Trueman, he who speaks the truth, or Mr. T."

Judai raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean you 'suppose' I can call you that? What's so interesting about that question?"

"Never you mind. It is of no importance."

"You work with Fujiwara?" Judai asked.

The man nodded. "Indeed. Fujiwara and I work together. However, don't think this means I'm here to kill you," he added as Judai activated his duel disk. "I simply want to talk."

Suspicious, Judai asked, "What about?"

"The future. Do you know what fate awaits the world, Judai? Destruction. The path that people are heading down is not pretty. If they continue, this world will become just as desolate as Dark World."

Judai closed his eyes, saying, "Somehow, I don't think that's possible."

"But it is. It is inevitable. However, my master can prevent this disaster," the man said.

_Here comes the part where he tells me that his "master" should rule Neo Space, and I should help him gain power,_ Judai thought.

"Cut to the chase: What do you want?" Judai asked.

"It's not what I want. It's what my master wants. And what my master wants is your power. So, will you help?"

Judai watched Mr. T carefully for any signs that he might be less than sincere in his promise that he just wanted to talk. "If I say no?"

"I'm hoping that we can resolve this peacefully, Judai."

"Well, I don't like the sound of that, and I don't agree with your prediction. The future is what we make it, so there's no 'inevitable' doom, Mr. T. Get out before I call the guards."

"I was hoping you would see it my way. It seems that I will have to use force after all." As he spoke, Mr. T reached toward Judai.

Judai slapped Neos down on his duel disk. Neos attacked Mr. T, but the man just dissolved into darkness. For a moment, Judai thought he was gone. That is, until he felt a hand grab his arm.

"My apologies, but my master at least needs you out of the way," Mr. T said. Neos moved to stop him, but the man dissolved into shadows, taking Judai with him.

* * *

"This is terrible!" Ryo sighed, wondering who was challenging his brother to a duel this time.

"Sho, could you keep it down? I'm trying to do my homework."

"Oh, yeah, sure! Go ahead and do your homework! In the meantime, I'm gonna go look for my best friend!"

That got Ryo's attention. "Wait, what?"

"Johan just called! Judai's missing! Again!"

Sho was so panicked, Ryo couldn't help himself. _I'm going to regret this later, _he thought. He walked over to his brother and placed his hands on his shoulders, kneeling down to look him in the eyes.

"Sho," Ryo said, keeping his voice even as he tried to calm his brother, "It's okay. I'm sure your friend is fine. We'll find him, okay?"

At Sho's nod, Ryo continued. "So, what does this friend of yours look like?"

* * *

Jim stood in the center of town, waiting for his friends. Beside him was a muscular man with a gun for a duel disk.

"Jim, exactly why did you call me out here?" the man asked.

"Well, O'Brien, I called you because I need your help, mate. You see, a friend of mine is missing, and I suspect foul play."

O'Brien nodded. "Understood. So, what are we waiting for?"

"The rest of my mates. We could use all the help we can get, after all. Besides that, I don't have a clue where to start looking."

At that moment, Johan and Manjoume came running over.

"Who's that?" Manjoume asked, looking at O'Brien.

Jim answered, "He's a friend. Austin O'Brien. I thought he might be helpful in our search for Judai."

Asuka and Fubuki were the next ones to arrive, followed soon after by Sho and his brother, Ryo.

"Crikey, that's unexpected. What are you doing here, mate?" Jim asked Ryo.

"As if I could let my brother pack everything he owns and run off to look for his friend on his own?" Glancing around, Ryo added, "Not that he would have been on his own, would he?"

"This is everyone. I tried to convince Yubel to come with us, but she said it was a waste of time to involve you guys because...well, she doesn't think you'll like where she says we have to look," Johan told everyone.

"If Judai needs me, I don't care where I have to go!" Sho exclaimed, determined. "He would do the same for me, I know it."

Asuka nodded. "Right. So, tell us where we're looking, Johan."

Johan fidgeted a bit before answering. "Dark World."

The silence that met this simple answer was deafening. Everyone in Neo Space knew of Dark World. It was a desolate wasteland of eternal night, where anyone you met was likely to challenge you to a duel in which the loser is "sent to the stars," a euphemism for killed. It used to be a part of Neo Space, until a dark force chose to make the place its home. Now, everyone in Neo Space was afraid to mention it, let alone go there.

"W-wait a minute...you're saying...that Judai is probably in D-Dark World?" Sho asked.

Johan nodded. "That's what Yubel says."

"Well, couldn't Yubel be wrong?" Fubuki asked, sounding hopeful.

Shaking his head, Johan said, "Probably not since she has a spy in Judai's deck. She slipped it in there in light of recent events, thinking that it would come in handy if Judai got into too much trouble."

"Then we're going to Dark World," Jim said. "I had a feeling you were going to say that, mate. Well, let's move on, then. We're not going to find Judai by standing around here."

With that, the gang headed out for Dark World. All except Ryo.

"Wait a minute, Sho. I don't think you should do this." Sho turned to face his brother. "I understand that he's your friend, but do you think you could survive Dark World?"

"Ryo, I have to go! Judai needs me! He would do the same thing for me, I know it!" Sho said, looking desperate.

"Say, mate, before you waste too much of your time, you might want to know that nothing you say can convince Sho to stay behind."

Sighing, Ryo said, "You're right. Which means that I'm coming as well. I'm not letting Sho get himself killed in Dark World."

"Well, we're wasting time, guys! Who knows what could be happening to Judai while you guys debate whether Sho should come!" Johan said, sounding irritated.

* * *

Meanwhile, Judai found himself in chains in a dungeon. The shackles on his wrists allowed for movement around his cell, but he wouldn't be able to escape if someone opened the door.

"Okay, Judai, how are you going to get out of this one?" he asked himself. "And why are you talking to yourself in the first place?"

With his leg still in a cast, he wouldn't get very far even if he did get out of this dungeon. However, if he could get his deck and duel disk, he could summon a monster to get him out of here.

_The only problem is that Mr. T took my duel disk. Darn it!_

Judai sighed, flopping down on his back. _Maybe I should try getting out of this cell and steal a disk from one of the guards,_ he thought. _At least then I'd have_ something.

He was still working out how to do that, exactly, when a sound caught his attention.

_Kuri._


	9. Chapter 8

**And here's the next chapter! Now we find out who Yubel's spy is. Also, duel spirits talking will be in italics and quotation marks. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Asuka wasn't happy. At all. Judai had been kidnapped, and her brother only had one concern on his mind: his sister's safety.

"Just stay here! I'll go look for Judai in your place," he reasoned. They were standing on the edge of Neo Space, right where Dark World began.

Resisting the urge to slap him, Asuka said, "I've made up my mind, and I won't have you making my decisions for me, brother! I'm a good enough duelist to survive Dark World."

Ryo looked at Fubuki. "You might as well give up. This Judai must be a good friend since neither of us are having any luck talking sense to our siblings."

Sighing, Fubuki said, "Alright."

"So, can we get going now?" Asuka asked, stepping closer to the boundary of Dark World. "We're wasting time! Who knows what could be happening to Judai while we stand here arguing?"

"She's right. Let's go, everyone!" Johan said, charging in. The rest of the group followed.

* * *

_Kuri._

"Huh? What was that?" Judai glanced around, trying to figure out where that sound had come from. His gaze landed outside of his cell on a brown fur-ball with big, bug eyes and short green legs. And...white wings?

"What are you?" Judai asked.

"_I'm Winged Kuriboh," _the little duel spirit answered. _"Your friend, Yubel, asked me to keep an eye on you."_

Judai closed his eyes, smiling slightly. _Yubel gave me a babysitter, and it's a puffball with 300 attack points. Figures. Something no one would ever think was dangerous. That way, they won't think to question it._

"So, what's up? You gonna get me out of here, little guy?"

Winged Kuriboh bobbed, apparently answering with the puffball equivalent of a nod.

"How?"

The duel spirit flew away, leaving Judai wondering what it was doing. A minute later, it returned with the keys.

"_Nobody pays a lot of attention to me because I'm so weak, so it's easy to steal things from them."_

Judai grinned. "Great. Think you can help me get my duel disk and deck back?" he asked the winged spirit.

Winged Kuriboh did a back flip, showing its enthusiasm. Judai just laughed. Somehow, he thought this was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

Yubel cursed. The castle had more guards than she had been expecting. How was she going to get in there and get Judai out without being noticed? If she drew too much attention to herself, she would likely put Judai in more trouble.

_Maybe I should have gone with Johan and his little friends,_ she thought. _At least then I could use them as bait to lure some of the guards away. Funny, though, I didn't think that anyone ruled Dark World._

Yubel shook her head, trying to get herself back on track. _Okay, focus! How are you going to save Judai?_

It took her awhile, but finally Yubel swallowed her pride, realizing that she would need some help with this one. But finding it would be the tough part. She didn't want to leave for fear that Johan and the others would arrive while she was out looking for them.

_So what do I do?_

* * *

"Well, this is a dramatic change. From three suns to nothing but a comet," Fubuki said. "Can we go home now?"

"Fubuki!" Asuka snapped. "You can go if you want to, but the rest of us are actually going to prove that not everyone is so scared of Dark World that they would abandon a friend in need."

"Okay, okay! Sheesh, you're so cold, sis!"

Johan started forward. "Yubel said that we should find the Supreme King's castle," he said.

"What do you mean, 'the Supreme King's castle'?" Ryo asked, raising his eyebrow.

Shrugging, Johan said, "I asked, but she just said I'd know it when I saw it."

"The name's a bit dodgy, if you ask me," Jim said, staring at the comet in the sky. Why did he feel so uneasy all of a sudden?

Seeing the look on Jim's face, Johan said, "The rumors about Dark World don't even come close to describing the horrors of this place. Here, your worst emotions and thoughts have power. Negativity can drag you down into darkness. So if anyone starts feeling depressed or anything, head back, got it?"

Everyone nodded. "Alright! Let's go find our friend!" Johan said.

* * *

"Okay, partner. You know what to do," Judai whispered as he leaned against the wall. Winged Kuriboh peeked around the corner, making sure that there weren't any guards. This was the escape plan the two had come up with: Winged Kuriboh kept an eye out for guards and warned Judai if he saw any, and Judai just did his best not to get caught. Not the best of plans, but there you have it. Winged Kuriboh had managed to convince Judai that he would have better luck just getting out of the castle. That way, he might draw less attention to himself.

Winged Kuriboh spoke quietly, _"No guards around. Hurry up, though. This is the only way out of the castle!"_

Judai nodded. "Got it, pal."

Walking with a broken leg was somewhat tricky, but doable. Running, on the other hand, was definitely out of the question. That's why he couldn't be seen. Judai made his way through the halls, sticking to the shadows as much as possible and having Winged Kuriboh scout ahead, just in case.

There was only one time Judai thought he might get caught. Winged Kuriboh flew over to him, frantic.

"_There are a couple of fiends coming this way! They don't look too friendly, either! Hide, Judai!"_

There wasn't anywhere _to_ hide. Judai looked around nervously, trying to figure out what he should do. There was a narrow hallway to the left, but what if they were going that way?

"Ugh, there's no time to worry about that right now!" Judai ducked into that hallway, glad that it was at least dark. Maybe they wouldn't see him if they did come this way. Of course, they'd probably bump into him...

A Skull Knight and King of Yamimakai came into view. They were talking about something, though Judai couldn't quite make out what they were saying. Fortunately for Judai, they kept going in the direction they were headed.

Judai waited until he no longer heard the two, then slipped back into the main hallway, heading for the exit. "Almost there, right, Winged Kuriboh?" he asked the little duel spirit hopefully.

The spirit nodded.

* * *

Pacing was very unladylike. Not that Yubel was a lady anyway, but still, she shouldn't be standing around pacing when Judai was in trouble!

"Okay, I have to do something. That useless puffball hasn't contacted me in over an hour!"

She was about to charge in when a voice behind her said, "Hey, how's it going?"

Yubel jumped, activating her duel disk as she turned.

Johan raised his hands as if she were pointing a gun at him. "Whoa, easy, Yubel! Watch where you're pointing that thing!"

"Johan!" Deactivating her duel disk, Yubel continued, "What the hell was that!?"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. So, I take it this is the tower you were talking about?"

"Yes," Yubel answered, still cross.

"So why are you just standing here?" Asuka asked. Yubel groaned inwardly. Of course the blond would be here. Why wouldn't she? They probably all answered Johan's call. At least, they better have if they wanted to live.

"Take a look for yourself."

Everyone looked. "Crikey, that's a lot of fiends."

O'Brien nodded, adding, "I've never seen so many duel spirits in one place before."

"Any ideas how to get past them?" Yubel asked.

O'Brien nodded. "But it's risky. And it involves a relatively harmless looking member of our group."

As O'Brien looked down, everyone else followed his gaze. Sho glanced around at everyone eying him and said, "Wait a minute! How exactly am I involved in this plan?"

"You go distract the guards. Take off your duel disk and act like you're lost. You look harmless, so they shouldn't attack you if you don't have a duel disk."

"And if they do?" Ryo asked, skeptical. "What then?"

"That's where you come in. If it looks like things are going to get ugly, you jump in to help out. Fubuki, that's your job, too."

Fubuki nodded. "And the rest of you?"

"We'll sneak in, of course, and find Judai."

"There might be some suits of armor in a prison camp nearby that you could use as disguises," Yubel added helpfully.

"I'll check it out, then," O'Brien said. "Nobody make a move until I get back."

This command would have been easier to obey if not for certain brunettes.

* * *

"Alright, the exit!"

"_Hold it!"_ Winged Kuriboh said. _"There are a lot of fiends out there! I don't think you can get past them all."_

"What!?" Judai took a peek outside. "Darn it! Now what do I do?"

"_Wait for a rescue?" _his companion suggested.

"I'm so close, though! If I wait now, I'll just get caught again. Besides, there's no way I'm letting my friends risk their lives here if I can help it," Judai answered. "No, there's got to be some way out of here." Thinking about it, Judai smacked himself in the head. "Oh, duh!" He glanced at Winged Kuriboh. "What are the odds that you could get just one card for me? From Yubel?"

The Kuriboh tilted to the side, not sure where this was going. _"Uh, I could do that easily, since she wants to help you. Why?"_

Grinning, Judai said, "Go ask Yubel for her ace. She'll know what you mean."

Still not sure what he was getting at, Winged Kuriboh vanished. Judai pressed himself up against the wall, hiding in the shadows, waiting.

* * *

_Kuri, kuri._

Yubel's eyes widened.

"What was that?" Sho asked, looking around.

_Kuri, kuri!_

Reaching into her pocket, Yubel pulled out a card. It was a Winged Kuriboh. "What do you want?" she snapped.

"_Judai wants me to ask for your ace, whatever that means... He's trying to escape, but he can't get past that army standing outside!"_

"What!?"

Johan looked at her, concerned. "What is it, Yubel?"

"Judai's being an idiot, that's what!" she said. "That's it, I'm doing what I should have done in the first place!" Activating her duel disk, she smacked a card down. "Come out, Yubel, the Ultimate Nightmare!"

The two-headed dragon Yubel had used to defeat Clear Vicious Knight appeared, drawing the attention of the army of fiends. They all turned, ready to fight.

Yubel never had to lift a finger. The fiends never even saw who was controlling the monster; they were all destroyed when they attacked. One by one. When they stopped attacking willingly, the dragon lured them into an attack.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Yubel said, sounding cross. "While there's carnage, you better get in there and get the idiot out."

Johan, Manjoume, Asuka, Sho, and Jim charged. They ran through the disorganized fiends, completely unnoticed because of the carnage.

"Wait a minute, didn't O'Brien say not to move!?" Fubuki yelled after them. "Asuka!"

"They plan to get themselves killed before they reach sixteen, don't they?" Ryo sighed before going after them.

"And where are you going!?"

"We can't stop them, so we might as well try to protect them from their own stupidity!"

Fubuki thought about this for a moment before nodding and following his friend's lead.


	10. Chapter 9

**For all those who've been waiting, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Judai gaped. He totally hadn't expected Yubel to be that close. Oh, well, this made things easier for him. He inched into the doorway, ready to make a break for it.

"Hold it right there!" a voice behind him said.

Judai turned to see a boy with spiky red hair and brown eyes behind glasses. He didn't look like he belonged in this place, what with the brown shirt, tan pants, and green cloak he wore.

"Who are you!?" Judai demanded.

"My name is Amon Garam. And you're the prince of Neo Space. Judai, right?"

Narrowing his eyes, Judai said, "What do you want?"

Amon answered simply, "To help."

"What?"

"I would have been here sooner, but I got held up by a friend of mine. I apologize if you grew tired of waiting."

"Uh, I don't usually wait around anyway, so..." This was awkward. Judai decided to change the subject. "So, if you're here to help, why did you stop me?"

"Because you're asking for trouble if you go out there with all of those fiends, even if they are distracted. They aren't distracted enough to let the prince slip past them," Amon answered. "Let me help you." As he spoke, Amon removed his cloak. He handed it to Judai, saying, "Put this on. It should hide your identity well enough to enable us to slip past the fiends."

Judai took the cloak, putting it on as he said, "So, why are you here, exactly?"

"I'll explain everything later. For now, let's get out of here!"

Judai nodded and followed Amon out of the castle.

* * *

"Okay, we're almost there!" Johan called to the others. "The entrance to the castle is just ahead!"

"Wait a minute!" Ryo called. "Who's that!?"

Ahead of them, coming out of the castle, was a red-headed man and a figure in a green cloak.

"Enemies, no doubt," Fubuki said. "After all, everyone and everything in Dark World is our enemy."

Jim's eyes widened. "Wait a minute! I know that bloke! He's a friend." He raised his voice, calling out to the strangers. "Oi! Amon!"

The red-head turned, looking over at them. "Jim?" he called questioningly. "What are you doing here?" He walked over, the cloaked figure following.

"That's my line, mate! And who's this?" Jim glanced at the figure.

"Hey, Jim."

Everyone gaped. "Judai!?" they said.

"Okay," Jim said, looking back at Amon, "now I really want to know what's going on here."

Amon said, "I'll explain later. For now, the important thing is getting the prince out of here."

Johan grabbed Judai's arm, throwing it over his shoulders. "Right! Let's go, guys!" he said, dragging Judai off.

* * *

Yubel watched as the gang came running back over. "I don't see any prince!" she said crossly, looking at the two new additions.

"Sure you do!" Johan said, pulling the cloak off Judai.

Judai smiled. "Hey, Yubel."

Yubel stared for a moment, then, slowly, she came closer to Judai. Stopping right in front of him, she stood there for a moment before lifting her hand...and slapping him across the face.

"Ow! What was that for?" Judai said.

"For being an idiot! Trying to escape on your own!? Really!?"

"Uh, Yubel, can we lecture Judai later?" Fubuki asked. "The castle is still in sight, and we need to get him away from here, not back in there."

Yubel sighed. "Come on, let's get that other guy and get out of here." She turned and headed in the direction of the prison camp O'Brien had gone to check out.

* * *

O'Brien was less than happy with Judai. "I can't believe you acted so recklessly! I mean, you didn't have a plan or anything!"

"I had Winged Kuriboh," Judai countered defensively.

"A winged fur ball is not sufficient against an army of fiends!" Yubel snapped, joining O'Brien in scolding their prince.

Asuka interrupted. "As much as I agree that what Judai did was reckless, shouldn't we focus on getting him home? I mean, the longer we're here, the more likely we'll all be sent to the stars."

O'Brien nodded, and the group set off for Neo Space, Judai being helped along by Jim and Johan.

Looking at O'Brien, Judai said, "So, who are you anyway? I've never seen you before."

"Austin O'Brien. I'm Jim's friend," he answered.

"Oh."

"Anyway, I still want to know why you're here, Amon," Jim said to the red-head.

Amon answered, "My father works for the Supreme King. I heard that the prince had been kidnapped and decided to find him." Glancing around, he said, "Though I didn't expect there to be a rescue party of this magnitude here already."

"Well, we're an informal rescue party. We just wanted to help our friend," Sho responded.

"Or keep our siblings alive," Ryo added, causing Sho to blush.

The group walked in silence for awhile, nobody really having much to say. There wasn't anything going on, either.

"You know," Fubuki said, "with how infamous this place is supposed to be, I would have thought that there would be more chaos than there is. So far, all I've noticed is that there's no sun and a lot of fiends."

"You're missing a few key points," Yubel said. "Points that are only known to the royal family and those closest to them."

Everyone looked at Yubel in confusion, except for Judai and Johan.

Asuka was the one to voice her curiosity. "Care to share these points with us? I mean, we're Judai's friends now. Don't we have a right to know?"

Yubel laughed. "You aren't close enough! Outside of the royal guard, only his closest friends are allowed to know, meaning his fiance and, because he's sort of like a distant cousin, Johan."

"And which one are you?" Asuka asked in a harsh tone.

"Royal guard, you could say. And I'm as good as his fiance!"

Asuka stopped. Judai was engaged? To Yubel? _Okay, get a grip, Asuka! You knew that it was a doomed relationship to start with._

"Yubel, don't tell lies," Judai said, surprising both girls.

"I'm not! You and I might as well be engaged, right? I mean, you do love me, don't you?"

Judai didn't look at her when he answered, knowing that she wasn't going to like the answer. _But it's high time you stopped leading her on,_ he scolded himself.

"You're a good friend, Yubel. One of my best friends. But I don't love you, no."

The silence was deafening. Judai was just waiting for the outburst he was sure would follow this declaration. It never came, though. Instead, Yubel placed a hand on his forehead.

"What are you—?" he started.

"I'll just put that down to exhaustion and say you didn't mean it. We should stop and rest," Yubel said.

Judai groaned. Convincing Yubel to accept his decision when he did choose a queen wasn't going to be easy.


	11. Chapter 10

**Whoo, I'm on a roll lately! Reviews really do make authors update faster! They give us more motivation to write, let us know someone actually has some interest in our story. Anyway, this chapter is pretty short, but the next one will be longer. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Judai hated feeling like an invalid. While everyone else was gathering firewood or getting water or pitching tents, he was sitting around watching. Okay, granted, Sho wasn't really helping very much, what with the fact that he dropped the bucket of water he was carrying, spilling it everywhere, but still, he was doing something.

"Guys, isn't there _something_ I can do?" he asked.

Manjoume answered, "Yeah. Stay off that leg and don't get kidnapped again. And shut up."

Judai sighed. Manjoume could be pretty rude sometimes.

"Ouch! Fubuki, that was my foot."

"Sorry, Jim." Fubuki rubbed the back of his head nervously. "It's been awhile since I went camping, so I haven't had much experience with pitching tents lately."

"Actually, you must be doing better than you used to," Asuka said, glancing over at the pair. "After all, that's the first time Jim's complained about you hitting something other than the stakes."

"Very funny, sis."

Another sigh from Judai. Johan came over and sat beside him. "So, you don't love Yubel?" he asked.

"That's kind of out of the blue, don't you think?"

"Just answer the question."

"I don't know," Judai admitted. "I've always thought of her as more of an older sister, what with how often she babysits me and all. It would just be kinda weird is all. Marrying Yubel."

"So, then, who do you love?"

Judai looked at Johan, his eyes wide. "Who said I loved anyone?"

Johan's face broke into a grin. "Come on, Judai. I'm your best friend. What makes you think I don't know what's going on in that head of yours?"

Blushing, Judai said, "Well..."

"Okay, if you won't say it, I'll guess. Asuka?"

"Got it in one," Judai said.

"You've got some competition, then. Manjoume's been trying to get Asuka to go out with him for a couple years now. I'm sure Fubuki would be more than willing to help, since you seem nervous and all, but that might backfire. I remember when Manjoume got help from the 'master of love'..." Johan shuddered. "It wasn't pretty."

"What happened?" Judai asked, hoping to change the subject away from his own love life.

"Let's just say that Fubuki's advice works better if the girl you're after _isn't_ Asuka. She's just embarrassed by everything Fubuki does."

"That's not an answer," Judai protested.

Johan grinned. "No, but trust me when I say you don't want an answer. Anyway, back to the matter at hand, how do you think Yubel will take it when you confess your love for another woman?"

Judai let out a dry laugh. "Let's just say that I'm kinda wishing I was gay. She'd be too stunned to say or do anything if I told her I was in love with you or something."

Johan laughed. "Yeah, but you're not, so that won't work. You really think she'll take it that badly?"

"Unless she falls in love with someone else before then."

"What do you think are the odds of that?"

"Slim to none."

The two were silent for a moment. In the background, Jim could be heard swearing at Fubuki for apparently hitting him again, this time in that all-too-sensitive area.

"I don't know about that, Judai," Johan said after awhile. "Yubel's attractive, she's got a great personality when she's not being jealous, and she lives in the castle. Guys will fall all over her. Actually," he amended, "they already do."

Judai nodded. "Yeah, but if she's not interested, it doesn't matter how many guys like her. She turns them all away."

"It'll all work out, Judai. Don't worry about it too much."

"Yeah, you're right, Johan. Thanks."

* * *

The night was relatively uneventful. At least, for most people. For Judai, it wasn't so peaceful.

He was plagued by nightmares. In every one, his friends were being enslaved, drowned, burned, maimed, or defeated in a duel in Dark World. But his friends all had something to say to him as they suffered. Manjoume was angry with Judai for getting them into this mess; Fubuki was anguished by how little Judai was doing to help them; Sho doubted Judai's friendship; Asuka was sad that Judai had betrayed them all.

He saw them in so many situations: Johan dueling Bronn, the Mad King of Dark World and being sent to the stars; O'Brien chained to a wall in a prison camp, waiting to be forced into the Dark Army; Yubel standing next to a figure clad in armor, looking pleased but worried at the same time. Judai couldn't make sense of that one, but he didn't think that he wanted to either.

His screams could have awakened the dead.

"What!? What's going on!?" Sho said, sitting up and looking around wildly.

"Judai!?" Johan said, moving toward his friend. "Judai, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

There was noise outside of the tent as everyone else made to check out the situation. O'Brien poked his head in. "What happened?" he asked.

"I don't know! Judai just woke up screaming." Johan looked at the brunette, who was taking deep breathes to calm himself down. "Must have been a nightmare or something," he added worriedly.

"Why do you sound worried?" Sho asked Johan, sounding worried himself.

Yubel forced her way in. "Is Judai all right?" she asked.

"He just had a bad dream, Yubel. Nothing to worry about," O'Brien answered.

Yubel's eyes widened. "Judai, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, Yubel. Don't worry about it. Like O'Brien said, just a bad dream," he told her with a smile. _It felt so real, though,_ he thought.

Still eying him suspiciously, Yubel said, "Well, if you're sure. But, if this happens again, you're telling me what these dreams are about, got it?"

"Got it."

* * *

Asuka stood outside of the tent, worried. What was going on? Was Judai okay? The moment O'Brien and Yubel emerged, she asked. "What was that?"

"Judai had a nightmare, apparently," O'Brien answered. Then, looking at Yubel, he added, "And this worries Yubel."

Now everyone was looking at Yubel. She avoided their gaze by staring at the ground, then sighed and muttered, "Might as well." She raised her gaze and looked around at the group. "It's about those 'key points' I told you that you were missing about Dark World."


	12. Chapter 11

**Okay, here's the next chapter, and the explanation as to why Yubel's worried about Judai right now. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"There are a lot of horror stories about Dark World. You all know that parents tell their kids that naughty children are sent here and left at the mercy of the fiends. Well, what you don't know is _why_ Dark World has this horrible reputation." Yubel paused and looked around the group. "The reason the people fear Dark World so much is because the royal family fears Dark World."

"What do you mean?" Ryo asked.

"Dark World gives power to negative thoughts and feelings, as Johan may have told you already. So, for common people like yourselves, negativity is dangerous here. For some people, Dark World is more dangerous than you could ever imagine."

Yubel took a deep breath before continuing, "You all know about the light of destruction that threatens Neo Space, and the righteous power of the darkness of creation that's supposed to defeat this light, right? Well, there's only supposed to be one person with this power, a person who is reincarnated over and over so that he can fight the light when it attacks. That person is a member of the royal family of Neo Space.

"I think now is a good time for a history lesson. Years ago, there was a prince who had this power. This was the first time that the light of destruction attacked. It was also before Dark World was so feared by the masses. There was the odd person who feared it simply because they had been here, but most of the population didn't care about its existence. One day, this prince with the darkness's power came to Dark World. Nobody's entirely sure why. The story goes that he heard tell of a threat to his kingdom residing in the heart of Dark World, but nobody's been able to prove this. Regardless of why he came, he never returned. Months went by, and there was no word from the prince. Eventually, his father sent a search party to find his son. What they found was not what they expected. Dark World had a king, a ruler they called Haou."

"That's the title we use for our king," Fubuki said.

Yubel nodded. "Yes. Thanks for pointing that out. There is a connection between the titles. The search party was captured by the Dark Army and brought to the Dark World castle, where they were forced to duel Haou. Every one of them lost, except one. That one survived the duel and returned to tell their story. The sole survivor reported that Haou's deck seemed familiar, yet it wasn't quite right. Haou was using monsters that were similar to those the prince used. Haou was clad in armor, so they couldn't see what he looked like. The last duelist said that, as his last request, he would like to see the face of the man who was going to kill him. Haou complied, and his opponent was horrified to find that Haou was the prince."

There was a collective gasp from her audience.

"Wait, are you saying the prince turned evil or something!?" Asuka asked, horrified.

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Yubel said with a nod. "Nobody knows what caused it. All we know is that the prince came here with his friends and turned into the ruler of Dark World."

"If he came with his friends, why didn't anybody ask them what had happened?" O'Brien asked.

Yubel shook her head, eyes closed, and answered, "None of them were ever found. Some say he killed them when he turned evil. Others think that their deaths are what caused the prince's transformation. The point is, Dark World has been viewed as dangerous ever since that day. If the one with the righteous power of darkness sets foot in Dark World, nobody knows what might happen to him. And the worst part is the only way to stop Haou is to kill him."

Jim nodded. "Right, then. So what does this have to do with Judai's nightmare?"

"It might not have anything to do with it. I can't say for sure. What I can say is that Judai has the power of the darkness of creation, like the prince who was corrupted here. I'm worried that these nightmares might be a sign of worse things to come."

"In short, we need to get Judai out of here as quickly as possible," Manjoume summarized.

"Exactly."

* * *

The next day, the group continued their trek through Dark World, slowly but surely making their way back to Neo Space. Fubuki pulled a ukulele out of seemingly nowhere and started playing it to pass the time.

"You know, that's a surefire way to draw the fiends, Fubuki," Yubel said, agitated.

"Relax, Yubel. What would they want with us anyway?"

Amon cast a sideways glance at Fubuki. "She's right. Stop that noise before you get us all killed."

"It's too late for that!" Everyone turned to see a black and silver creature with wings and horns.

"Who are you?" O'Brien asked, activating his duel disk.

The creature laughed. "Feisty, aren't we? I'd love to kill you myself, but my orders are to bring you back alive!" Other creatures showed up all around the gang, catching them off guard and knocking them out.

* * *

When Judai woke up, he was lying on a cold stone floor. "Not again," he muttered.

He looked around, hoping to see his friends. However, he found himself alone. _What happened to my friends?_ He couldn't shake the feeling he didn't want to know.

"Ah, you're awake. Good, now we can begin."

The door opened, revealing one of the fiends from earlier. "I am Zure, Knight of Dark World. And you are about to witness a spectacular show, compliments of my master, Brron, the Mad King. You should feel honored."

"What did you do with my friends!?" Judai demanded. Zure just laughed.

"Don't worry. You'll see them soon enough."

Zure dragged Judai out into an arena, where he shackled his legs to the seat, effectively preventing him from leaving. "Enjoy the show." Something about the way Zure said that made Judai uneasy.

He didn't have much time to wonder about that before a voice reverberated through the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the Dark World Gladiator Games! As your host, I intend to provide you with the most entertaining show ever! Now, let's have a warm welcome for our first victim."

Judai looked toward the entrance of the arena, and his eyes widened in horror. "Sho!"

Sho was in chains, trembling, and brought before a blue fiend that looked like it was wearing a skeleton as armor.

"This pitiful human will face off against our champion, Beiige, Vanguard of Dark World! And now, without further ado, I, Brron, the Mad King of Dark World, give the participants permission to fight to the death! In other words, Beiige, kill this human quickly. He looks like easy prey."

Judai's eyes widened in horror. Sho was going to fight a fiend!? "No! Stop this!" he cried. "Sho!"

Sho looked up at him, terror showing clearly in his eyes. "You're actually watching this?" he asked. Judai's eyes widened as Sho continued. "Do you even care what happens to me?"

"Of course I do, Sho! What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking you're just sitting up there when these guys are about to kill me! If you really care about me, get down here and help me!"

"I can't!" Judai cried.

Sho glared at him. "You mean you won't!"

Judai couldn't believe what he was hearing. Why would Sho ever think he didn't care? This didn't make any sense! He hadn't done anything to inspire those thoughts, had he?

Beiige apparently wasn't planning to duel Sho, either. He came at him with a spear instead. "Hey, what's with the physical combat!?" Judai called angrily to Brron. "Why not duel him!? Sho can't even fight back! He doesn't have a weapon!"

"That's the best way to fight a human: Defenseless! Nobody wants to see a human win!"

Judai growled. He pulled against the shackles, trying to get up and save Sho, but he couldn't. He had no choice but to sit by and watch as Sho ran around the arena, trying not to get killed and looking for something with which he could kill Beiige. However, his suffering wasn't prolonged. Beiige apparently grew bored with chasing him around and threw his spear at him. It hit him dead-on.

"No! Sho!"

Sho looked down at the shaft of the spear, sticking out of his chest, then looked up at Judai. "I thought you were my friend, but I guess not. You don't care." That was when Sho turned to stardust.

"No... That's not true, Sho..."

"Who should go next? Ah, I know!"

Johan was brought into the arena. "He'll have a chariot race! With Goldd, The Wu-Lord of Dark World!"

"No!"

Johan looked at Judai and said, "So, this is what our friendship means to you?"

"No! Johan, you've got it all wrong!"

"Then why did you betray me like this!?"

Judai was too stunned and horrified to answer. Johan's chariot race went about as well as Sho's fight; it resulted in Johan's death when Goldd rammed into the side of Johan's chariot, smashing it against the wall and killing Johan on impact.

The other matches his friends were put in were equally horrible: Manjoume was forced to fight another prisoner, someone Judai didn't know, to the death; Jim had to fight Chimera, the Flying Mythical Beast, with his bare hands; Fubuki and Asuka had a tag duel against two of the fiends, whose decks seemed to be poison for Judai's friend's decks. But it was their words that really stuck with Judai.

Manjoume yelled at Judai in anger: "You got us into this mess, Judai! Now you're just sitting around watching!? What's wrong with you, man!?"

Jim seemed to be in denial: "They're not telling the truth, are they, mate? They say you don't care. What are you doing just watching this!?"

Fubuki was anguished: "I know we aren't exactly friends, but that doesn't mean you should sit there and watch me die! Why, Judai!? Why!?"

And Asuka...what she said was the worst: "I thought we were friends, but I guess I was wrong. I don't matter, and it's so sad to know that."

That one was the last straw. "I didn't do anything to any of you! You're the ones who chose to come here after me! It's not my fault!"

Judai was trying to convince himself of that. But, in a way, it _was_ his fault. He had let himself be captured by Mr. T. He hadn't been able to fight the kidnapper off, or get away from them on his own and make his way back to Neo Space.

Is_ this my fault?_ Judai wondered. _No! It's not my fault. I didn't kill them. But I know who did! And he's gonna pay for it!_

Judai glared at Brron. "Hey! If you have any guts at all, stop these 'games' and duel me!" he demanded, rage clouding his judgment.

Brron looked at him and smiled. "That's what I wanted to see. Here, this is a gift for you." Brorn handed Judai a card.

"Is this a joke!? I don't want anything of yours!"

"But, Judai, it's what your friends died for."

Judai's eyes widened and he grabbed the card from Brron. "A blank card? My friends died for a blank card!?" Suddenly, Judai felt himself being pulled into darkness. _What's going on?_

Brron grinned. "No," he said quietly. "They died for the rebirth of Haou."

**Wow, I didn't know I had that in me. I just killed a lot of people! Or did I? You'll find out next chapter.**


	13. Chapter 12

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Asuka groaned. Her head was throbbing, and she couldn't remember why.

"Asuka? Are you awake?" she heard her brother ask.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. What she saw confused her: She was in a dungeon, along with all of her friends. No, not all of them. Looking around, she noticed that Judai was missing.

"Where are we? What happened? Where's Judai?"

"Easy, Asuka," Johan said from the cell across from her. "I don't know exactly where we are, but we were captured by the Dark Army. Don't you remember?"

Thinking back, Asuka remembered that. Her idiot brother had been playing his ukulele and drawn attention to them. At first, it had seemed that there was only one fiend attracted, but it had been an ambush. The rest had come out of nowhere.

"What about Judai? Where is he?" she asked again.

"Good question. I don't have a clue."

Asuka's eyes widened. Judai was missing, and in the custody of the Dark Army. "We have to get out of here! We have to find him!"

Jim answered, "Calm down, sheila. O'Brien's working on it." He hitched a thumb over his shoulder. O'Brien was putting together what appeared to be a gun of some sort.

"How is that going to help?" Asuka asked.

"I was just doing some maintenance. The last thing I want is my duel disk breaking down in the middle of an escape," O'Brien said.

Asuka stared for a moment, then she looked to Jim for an explanation.

"Yeah, O'Brien gets that a lot. His duel disk is also a gun, which comes in handy when you're dealing with a hostile army of fiends."

"You two are just made for each other, aren't you?" Fubuki asked. Jim shot him a look that made him recoil. "Well, crocodile on back, gun for a duel disk, you see what I mean, don't you?"

"Ukulele out of thin air," O'Brien countered, causing Fubuki to blush slightly.

O'Brien put his duel disk on, slipping his deck into the deck holder. "Alright, I'm all set. The rest of you better get your duel disks ready. I can't fight the whole army alone."

Duel disks started appearing on their arms, even Sho's. "Okay, on three, we summon our monsters. One, two, three!"

Everyone summoned their monsters: Cyber End Dragon, Red Eyes Black Dragon, Volcanic Doomfire, Fossil Warrior Skull Knight, Cyber Angel Benten, Super Vehicroid Stealth Union, Rainbow Dragon, Armed Dragon Lv. 10, Yubel, and Cloudian Eye of the Typhoon.

"Alright, let's go!"

They expected to encounter more resistance as they made their escape, but the prison camp they found themselves in appeared to be empty. There weren't any guards or prisoners aside from themselves.

"What's going on here?" Amon asked. "I have a bad feeling about this."

He wasn't the only one: Asuka couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible had happened to Judai.

Their escape was all too easy. O'Brien was convinced that the fiends had planned it, but he didn't know why.

"Maybe they just underestimated us?" Fubuki suggested hopefully.

Jim shook his head. "Nah, mate, we never get that lucky." He looked up at the sky, and what he saw made him scream: The comet was turning toward him.

"Jim!? What's wrong?" Johan asked.

Jim didn't answer for a moment. When he did, he said, "It's nothing, mate. Just this eye playing tricks on me."

Yubel looked at him, like she didn't quite believe him. "Are you sure that's all?" she asked. "Because I've had enough surprises for one day, thank you very much."

"Let's just find Judai as soon as possible, alright?" he said hastily.

That made Asuka worry more.

* * *

Fubuki's earlier observation that Dark World was peaceful seemed completely off now. The gang passed through several destroyed villages as they searched for Judai.

"What do you think happened?" Asuka asked.

"The villages are being destroyed by an evil dictator," Yubel said, looking grim. "That, or the Dark Army is really bored."

The next village they came upon was still standing.

"Excuse me," Johan said, walking up to one of the villagers, "I'm looking for my friend. He has brown hair and eyes, and he's wearing white pants, a black shirt, and a red jacket. Have you seen him?"

The villager looked at Johan sympathetically. "Is your friend a duelist?" he asked.

"Yes, he is."

"Then, I'm afraid, he is probably lost."

"What do you mean?" Yubel demanded.

"The Dark Army has been capturing duelists and taking them to Haou's castle, where they are forced to duel Haou."

"Haou!?" several of them exclaimed.

Yubel paled. "No, there's no way, not this soon," she whispered, sounding faint.

"Calm down, Yubel," O'Brien said before turning to the villager. "Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely. He's been destroying all those who oppose him."

Sho looked ready to cry. "Thank you," Ryo said, leading his brother off. The rest of the gang followed.

"So, Judai's turned evil. I supposed this means we'll have to kill him, then?" Amon said.

Asuka glared at Amon. "That can't be! There's got to be another solution. Something that we can do besides that!"

Jim's hand moved to his eye. "Well, I might have something," he said.

"We're all ears," said Yubel.

"Have I ever told you how I got this eye?" Everyone shook their heads. "Well, when I was a kid, I used to go around setting off traps laid by poachers. One day, Karen almost stepped into one of these traps, so I jumped over it and grabbed her. We went for a bit of a tumble, though. Right off a cliff and into a river."

Asuka covered her mouth. Everyone else was just staring.

"When I woke up, I was lying next to a fire with Karen and an old man. The old bloke told me that I had been chosen by the Eye of Orichalcum, and said that it would help me perform a miracle and save a friend. I didn't expect it to be this soon, though."

"The Eye of Orichalcum!?" Yubel said, stunned. "That's Neo Spacian legend!"

"Yeah, I know, Yubel." Jim took the bandage off his eye, revealing the black orb set in silver.

Sho spoke next. "So how are you supposed to use that to save Judai?" he asked.

"I duel him, I suppose," Jim answered. "I'll figure out the rest when the time comes."

"If you're dueling Judai, you need to tweak your deck," Yubel answered. "Here. Put these cards in there."

Jim looked at the cards. "Yubel, I don't think these will go too well with my deck."

"Then let me duel him!" she demanded. "Trust me, he's good. You won't stand a chance if he's really Haou. Haou was almost unbeatable. The guy who won last time won by sheer luck!"

"Yubel, have you ever seen me duel? How do you know I'll lose?"

"Because you'll be facing Judai! No ordinary deck will work against him!"

Everyone started talking at once. They all had different ideas of who should duel Judai to save him from the darkness. O'Brien said that they should let Jim do what he needed to, Yubel insisted he would fail and maybe make the situation worse, Ryo volunteered to give it a shot, Amon said he would duel the prince.

"Alright, alright, everyone be quiet!" Jim hollered. "Here's what we'll do: Amon, Ryo, and I will roshambo for it. Whoever wins duels Judai, okay?"

Everyone nodded in agreement. Jim, Ryo, and Amon got into a circle. "This is ridiculous, though," Jim muttered.

On three, the boys revealed their selections. Amon and Jim had both chosen, scissors, while Ryo had beaten them both with rock.

"It's decided, then. Ryo will be dueling Judai. Although I still think somebody is going to die." Yubel muttered the last part.

"Be quiet, Yubel." Ryo said, catching the worried look on his brother's face. "So, it looks like we're heading back to the castle to face Haou, then."

The gang made their way back to the castle, Asuka hoping the whole way that this would actually work. _Judai, hold on. We're going to save you._

**There you have it! Nobody really died. I'll explain how that happened in a future chapter.**


	14. Chapter 13

**Okay, I redid the ending of this chapter just because I didn't really like it that much. Anyway, here's the new (and hopefully improved) version! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Haou watched the village before him burn to the ground, listening to the screams of the people inside as they were engulfed in flames and attacked by his Evil Heroes. It was their own faults—they had tried to resist his reign. When would these people learn that it was inevitable that Haou would rule this entire world?

The screams died down as the last of the villagers were sent to the stars. Once they had ceased completely, Haou turned and made his way back to the castle.

* * *

"Uh-oh. Here comes the army!" Sho said, looking nervous. "Are you sure you're ready for this, bro?"

Ryo nodded. "Don't worry about me, Sho. I'm fine." He looked at Jim. "Are you ready?"

"I've been ready, mate. Let's go save our friend!"

They didn't have the best of strategies laid out; they simply planned to march up to Haou and challenge him to a duel. Yubel assured them, though, that this plan would work.

"Haou isn't going to let you waltz up to him and issue a challenge without accepting. That would be a mark on him, and he won't allow that. He can't seem weak if he's going to rule over these fiends. But you should know that Haou knows no mercy! He'll start with you, but, should you lose, he'll be more than willing to duel everyone else until there's nobody left."

Ryo nodded in understanding. "In other words, I really can't afford to lose, and not just for my own sake."

"Exactly," Yubel confirmed.

* * *

"Haou-sama, what's that up ahead? Standing in front of the castle?" Chaos Sorcerer, one of Haou's servants, asked.

Haou looked. Sure enough, there were two people standing in front of the doors to the castle. But...one of them couldn't be standing there. He was dead. He had seen him die with his own eyes!

"What kind of trick is this?" Haou demanded of Ryo and Jim as he approached.

"No trick, Haou. I'm challenging you to a duel!" Ryo said. "Do you accept?"

Haou lifted the mask covering his face. Jim and Ryo stepped back slightly; they had suspected that this was Judai, but they hadn't expected his eyes to be _yellow._ "Very well," Haou said, activating his duel disk.

Recovering from the initial shock, Ryo activated his own duel disk, saying, "Then let's get started, shall we?"

Haou: 4000  
Ryo: 4000

"I'll go first!" Haou said, drawing a card. "I activate Dark Fusion."

"_Dark_ Fusion!?" Ryo had never heard of that card before, but he was sure it wasn't good.

"With this card, I fuse my Elemental Heroes Avian and Burstinatrix to create Evil Hero Inferno Wing!"

A female creature with wings appeared. Her hair was green, she had a blue visor, red outfit, and green feathered arms with claws and regular hands poking out of the middle. ( Atk 2100)

"You fused two heroes to create a villain!?"

"I end my turn," Haou said, ignoring Ryo's question.

"Then it's my turn. Draw!" he glanced at the card in his hand before laying it on the duel disk. "I summon Cyber Dragon! (Atk 2100) And, because you control a monster and I don't I can special summon it without any sacrifices. Then, I'll also summon my Proto-Cyber Dragon!" (Atk 1100)

The two snake-like metal dragons appeared on Ryo's side of the field. "Next, I activate my Different Dimension Capsule. With this card, I remove one card in my deck from play. But I'll be getting it back soon enough. On the second turn after this one, that card is added to my hand. I play a card face down to end my turn."

Haou drew a card. "Inferno Wing attacks your Proto-Cyber Dragon!" The winged fiend created a blue fireball in her hands, ready to throw it at the metal dragon.

"I activate my face down! Photon Generator Unit! Using this card, I sacrifice two Cyber Dragons to summon another monster!"

"But you only have one Cyber Dragon," Haou protested.

"That's not entirely true, Haou," Ryo said. "When my Proto-Cyber Dragon is on the field, its name is considered Cyber Dragon!"

Haou scowled.

"So, I sacrifice my Cyber Dragons to summon Cyber Laser Dragon from my deck!" (Atk 2400) Another metallic, snake-like dragon appeared on the field, this one with blue designs on it and a laser in its tail. "Now, then. Do you still want to attack?" Ryo asked.

Inferno Wing's attack faded out. "I switch Inferno Wing to defense mode and end my turn."

"That won't help you," Ryo said, drawing a card. "Cyber Laser Dragon attacks your Inferno Wing!"

The laser on the dragon's tail activated, firing a blast at the fiend on the other side and destroying it.

"I play two cards face down and end my turn."

"It's my turn! Draw!" Haou glanced at the card, then, "I summon Infernal Prodigy from my hand! Like your Cyber Dragon, my Prodigy can be special summoned, as long as I control no monsters! Next, I'll sacrifice Infernal Prodigy to summon Evil Hero Malicious Edge!" (Atk 2600)

The monster appeared, covered in spikes, claws on its hands.

"That's a level seven monster! You need two sacrifices to summon that!" Ryo protested.

"Normally, yes. But, if my opponent controls a monster, then Malicious Edge only requires one tribute!" Haou responded. "Now, I attack your Laser Dragon!"

Malicious Edge shot the claws on its hands at the Cyber Laser Dragon, destroying it and dealing Ryo 200 points of damage, bringing his life points down to 3800.

Haou: 4000  
Ryo: 3800

"I activate my trap card!" Ryo declared, revealing the card on his field. "Rope of Life. I discard my entire hand to bring back the monster you just destroyed, and it gains 800 attack points."

Cyber Laser Dragon reappeared on Ryo's field, with 3000 attack points this time.

"I play one card face down. At this moment, Infernal Prodigy's other effect activates. I draw one card. That ends my turn," Haou said.

Ryo drew his card and said, "It's been two turns since I activated Different Dimension Capsule. That means that I now add the card removed by its effect to my hand. Now, let's put it to use, shall we?" Turning the card to face Haou, Ryo revealed it to be Power Bond.

"You don't have anything to fuse!" Haou said. "You sent your hand to the graveyard!"

"Then let's improvise," Ryo said, activating the other card in his hand. "Cybernetic Fusion Support! This card has me pay half my life points to remove fusion material monsters from my field or graveyard from play in order to summon a machine-type fusion monster. So I'll remove my two Cyber Dragons in my graveyard from the game."

"Hold on! There's only one Cyber Dragon in your graveyard!"

"Not true. When I sent my hand to the graveyard to activate Rope of Life, I sent a second Cyber Dragon to the grave. So, say hello to Cyber Twin Dragon!" As the two-headed metal dragon appeared on the field, Ryo added, "And, because I summoned it using Power Bond, its attack points are doubled.(Atk 5600) So, are you ready, Haou?"

Jim, meanwhile, was just watching this go down. He could tell that there was something definitely wrong with Judai. He could see the Judai they knew deep down inside, trapped in the darkness. _How did this happen?_ Jim wondered.

* * *

Meanwhile, the others were watching from on top of a cliff nearby. "Well, I didn't expect him to do this well. He's still alive," Yubel muttered, watching Ryo's duel. Then, she got up and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" O'Brien asked her.

"To interrogate the Dark Army. I want to know what they did to Judai to cause this, and I'm going to make sure it never happens to another prince again!"

"I'll go with you," Amon offered.

"No. I'm doing this alone. It's a job best done by small numbers. Besides, you'd just hold me back."

O'Brien was about to protest when Johan caught his eye and shook his head. Taking the hint, O'Brien let it go, and Yubel went off on her own.

"Why are we letting her do this?" Fubuki asked. "Isn't this a little dangerous?"

"What's dangerous is getting in Yubel's way right now. She's fiercely loyal to her friends, namely Judai since she doesn't consider anyone else a friend. Trust me, she can handle herself. I'm more worried about the fiends," Johan said. "They've incurred Yubel's wrath, and that is _not_ smart."

* * *

"Judai!" Jim called from the sidelines. "What's going on here, mate!? What happened to you!?"

There was no answer. Haou was completely focused on his duel. Particularly the fact that he was staring at a monster with 5600 attack points at this very moment.

Haou: 4000  
Ryo: 1900

"You haven't even scratched me yet! And, with that move, you've reduced your life points to less than half of mine. But not for long, because Power Bond's cost will take the original attack of that monster out of your life points at the end of this turn!"

Ryo narrowed his eyes. "That's if you survive this turn, Haou. My Cyber Laser Dragon attacks your Malicious Edge!"

"Activate my face down card: Mirror Force!"

"What!?" As Ryo's monster attacked, the attack was reflected back to him, and his monsters were both destroyed.

"Your monsters are gone! But you still take damage for activating Power Bond," Haou said.

Haou: 4000  
Ryo: 0

Ryo dropped to his knees. He had lost. Honestly, he should have paid more attention to that face down card. _I was careless. I was trying to rush the duel, and I paid the price._ He looked at Jim. "It looks like it's up to you now, Jim. Save Judai! Don't let this go on!" Those were his last words before he was sent to the stars.

* * *

Brron hadn't expected this: He was pinned to the wall by a winged fiend that none of his minions could hurt. It resembled a woman, but its hair was all white on one side and all purple on the other. Its eyes were two colors as well, orange and green, and it had a third eye on its forehead. The woman controlling this fiend had ordered the Army to "get lost" if they didn't want their master to be destroyed. Needless to say, they didn't listen to her, and they were all destroyed themselves. It happened so fast, Brron wasn't even sure what had happened, but he had a fleeting image of a two-headed dragon before his army was all sent to the stars.

"I'll ask this nicely, just once. What did you do to Judai!?" the woman demanded.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Brron answered, holding his tongue.

The woman narrowed her eyes. "Nightmare pain."

A vine left the creature holding Brron, coiling around him as he screamed, feeling an intense pain. "Alright, alright! What exactly do you want to know?"

"I want to know how you turned Judai into that...that _thing_."

"It's the same way we turned the other prince into Haou: We used his friends against him," Brron answered.

"No, because none of us were there when it happened and we're all alive."

Brron didn't look happy when she said that. "If I had my way, none of you would be alive!" he said. "But it wasn't so. I get my orders from Darkness, and he wanted to deal with all of you himself. Unfortunately, the guards at that prison camp must have been completely incompetent. Otherwise, you wouldn't have escaped."

"What!?"

"The ruler of this world, Darkness. That's all I'm telling you."

Yubel scowled. "Fine, then, back to the point. If you didn't actually use us, then what do you mean you used Judai's friends against him?"

"We had to use a lot of Mimicats, since the Copycats didn't want to be sent to the stars. We made duplicates of each of Judai's friends and sent them to their deaths, with their dear friend watching. He couldn't do anything to prevent their demise, and they thought he was watching of his own free will, if only because we told them to think that way," Brron explained. "Now let me go!"

Yubel narrowed her eyes. "Oh, I'll let you go, alright. Straight to the stars!"

The last thing Brron saw was that two-headed dragon that had destroyed his army. Then he was reduced to stardust.

* * *

Jim stared. Ryo had just lost. In Dark World. Stunned, all Jim could think for a moment was, _Sho's not going to like this._

Haou looked at Jim. "Are you next?" he asked.

Jim looked at Haou. His face set, he activated his duel disk. "You know I am, mate! And I'm going to save you, Judai!"


	15. Chapter 14

**Okay, here's the next chapter. By popular demand, and by virtue of the fact that even I didn't like the last chapter all that much, it's another Haou chapter! Again, I suck at writing duels, so let me know if there's anything I screwed up on as far as card effects go. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"D-did I just see...what I think I saw?" Asuka asked, hoping that she was imagining things just now. Ryo couldn't have lost. He just couldn't have!

Johan looked at Sho. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely a whisper.

Sho seemed really out of it. "Hey, are you going to be okay?" Amon asked.

Sho just nodded mechanically.

* * *

Haou: 4000  
Jim: 4000

"I'll go first, your Highness, if you don't mind!" Jim said, drawing his card. "I summon Shell Knight in defense mode!" (Def 2000)

A monster made out of sea shells appeared on Jim's field. "When this monster's summoned, you take 500 points of damage!"

Haou: 3500  
Jim: 4000

"I'll play one card face down and end my turn. It's your move, your Highness."

Haou drew his card. "I activate Dark Fusion to fuse the Elemental Heroes Sparkman and Clayman in my hand to summon Evil Hero Lightning Golem! (Atk 2400) Now I activate its special effect! Once per turn, it can destroy one monster on the field!"

"What!?"

Shell Knight was destroyed, just like that, leaving Jim wide open.

"Now, Lightning Golem attacks you directly!" Haou declared.

"Not so fast, your Highness! I activate my trap card, Sakuretsu Armor! This card destroys your Lightning Golem!" Jim said.

"No, it doesn't. Monsters summoned with Dark Fusion cannot be destroyed by spell or trap cards on the turn they were summoned."

Haou: 3500  
Jim: 1600

Jim growled. This was not going very well, and it was only the first turn! _I can't lose here,_ he thought. _How am I going to save Judai if I lose here?_

* * *

"Hey, guys, I'm back. What did I miss?" Yubel said, coming back over to the group.

"Ryo lost," O'Brien said. "Jim's dueling Haou now."

Yubel looked down at the duel. "Oh, great. And what if he loses?"

"He won't," Asuka said, sounding more confident than she felt. "He'll defeat Haou and save Judai. I know it."

"What did you find out, Yubel?" Johan asked.

Scowling, Yubel said, "The Dark Army is the ultimate evil, that's what."

Johan waited for her to elaborate, but she didn't say another word. "And what does that mean, exactly?" he asked.

Yubel didn't answer, apparently pretending she hadn't heard him.

* * *

"Alright, it's my turn. Draw!" Jim looked at the card in his hand and smiled. This was just what he needed.

"I activate Fossil Fusion! With this card's effect, I remove the Shell Knight in my graveyard and the Sparkman in yours from the game to summon Fossil Warrior Skullpawn!" (Atk 2000)

"Hmph! That monster doesn't stand a chance against my Lightning Golem!"

"Maybe not, but my turn isn't over yet, Haou!" Jim said. "I activate Time Stream! By sacrificing half my life points, my Skullpawn devolves from the Cenozoic era to the Mesozoic era! So, say hello to Fossil Warrior Skullknight!"

Haou: 3500  
Jim: 800

"But why stop there? I activate another Time Stream, devolving my monster even further to the Paleozoic era!"

Haou: 3500  
Jim: 400

The monster that was summoned was skeletal and yellow, with a cape and sword.

"Behold, Fossil Warrior Skullking! (Atk 2800) So, still think my monster doesn't stand a chance!?"

Haou narrowed his eyes, irritated. Jim said, "Now, Skullking attacks your Lightning Golem!"

The skeletal warrior attacked the evil golem, slicing through it and destroying it.

Haou: 3100  
Jim: 400

"Now, I activate Half Life! This brings your Lightning Golem back to your field, with half its attack points!"

Lightning Golem reappeared on Haou's field with 1200 attack points.

"And, Skullking's special effect lets it attack again as long as there's a monster on your field!"

Haou: 1500  
Jim: 400

"I end my turn."

Haou didn't seem phased. He drew his next card. "I summon Evil Hero Infernal Prodigy. Next, I sacrifice that monster to summon Evil Hero Malicious Edge! And I equip it with Vicious Claw! This card gives my monster 300 more attack points, and if it would be destroyed in battle, I can return this card to my hand to negate its destruction. (Atk 2900) Now, Malicious Edge attacks your Skullking!"

Haou: 1500  
Jim: 300

"I'll place one card face down and end my turn," Haou said. "And, because of Infernal Prodigy's effect, I draw!"

Jim took a deep breath. "I draw!" He looked at his card, eyes widening as he looked from it to the only other card in his hand.

_This just might work,_ he thought.

"I activate Fossil Hammer! This destroys the highest-level monster on your field! And, since your Malicious Edge is the only monster on your field, it's the one that's getting destroyed!"

"No! Vicious Claw only prevents my monster from being destroyed in battle!"

"Exactly, which means your Malicious Edge is gone!" Jim said. "However, you get to summon one monster with a lower level back to your field in attack mode."

"Then I'll bring back Clayman," Haou said. (800)

"Next, I'll remove Fossil Warriors Skullknight and Skullpawn from the game to summon Gaia Plate the Earth Giant!" (Atk 2800)

Haou took a step back.

Jim took the bandage off his eye, revealing the Eye of Orichalcum. "Judai, my friend, I'm going to save you from the darkness that's controlling you. Gaia attacks Clayman! And, when Gaia attacks, the monster it attacks has its attack and defense cut in half! Not that it matters. Even without that, you'd be taking more damage than you can afford!"

Haou: 0  
Jim: 300

Using the power of the Eye of Orichalcum, Jim entered Judai's heart. He found Judai, trapped in darkness. There were mirrors all around, but they shattered when Jim arrived. "Judai, it's over," Jim said. "The darkness in you has been defeated. It's time to go home." As Jim spoke, Judai collapsed. Jim caught him and brought him out of the darkness.

* * *

"Oh, wow, I did not expect that," Yubel said, stunned. "Did Jim just win?"

"Let's get down there and find out what's going on!" Asuka said, running off.

* * *

Jim sighed in relief; Judai was okay. He had been worried there for a moment—a couple of times he thought he might lose. _But Ryo wasn't so lucky,_ Jim thought. _I hope Sho's all right._

"Jim!" He turned at the sound of his name. Everyone else was running over.

"How's Judai?" Asuka and Yubel asked at the same time.

"Don't worry, sheilas. He's fine," Jim answered. Then he looked at Sho. "I'm sorry about your brother, mate."

Sho didn't answer. He just looked at Judai for a moment. "Judai's okay, though, right?"

"Yeah. He'll be just fine."

"Good," Sho said, nodding.

"We should get out of here and find a place for Judai to rest," O'Brien said.

Everyone nodded. Jim and Johan got Judai onto Fubuki's back and they headed off.

"So, Yubel, ever figure out what the fiends did to Judai?" Johan asked, trying again to get an answer out of her.

Yubel scowled. "Let's just say he'll be surprised to see you guys when he wakes up."

Johan asked what she meant by that, but she refused to say any more. Sighing, Johan resigned himself to figuring it out when Judai woke up.

**There it is! Let me know what you thought. No flames, please!**


	16. Chapter 15

**I probably won't be updating this for a couple weeks because I have midterms coming up, so I'll be focusing on those. Also, I have a paper to write for my sociology class. Anyway, enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"I still can't believe it," Fubuki said, standing on the hill the group was resting on and staring into the sky. "I can't believe that this place actually has a _sun_."

Indeed, Dark World, which had previously only been lit by the comet that always seemed to be there, was now bathed in sunlight after the defeat of Haou. Nobody was quite sure how it happened, and most of them didn't care right now. They were more concerned about Judai, who still hadn't woken up.

The brunette was lying underneath a tree atop the hill, still unconscious after his duel with Jim. Asuka, Sho, and Yubel sat beside him, while Johan was leaning against the tree nearby with the others.

"Are you sure he's all right, Jim?" Sho asked for the hundredth time.

Jim sighed, fighting back the urge to strangle the blunette. "Yes, Sho, I'm sure. He's been through a rough ordeal, though, so we need to let him rest."

"Don't worry, Sho. He'll wake up soon, I'm sure," Johan said.

* * *

Judai watched as Ryo's life points dropped to zero. He didn't even know the guy. Surely, he must have friends and family who would miss him when he never came home. Come to think of it, hadn't he been the one who commented about coming to keep siblings alive?

_Oh, no! What have I done? I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!_ Judai thought, anguished as he realized that he had taken the life of someone dear to one of his friends. Then again, the likelihood that said friend was already dead was high—most of his friends were, aside from Yubel. Ryo would just be reunited with his dead sibling.

However, Judai didn't have time to linger on the fate of the blunette. As his dark side addressed the spectator, Judai's thoughts shifted to the other man in front of him. The one with the cowboy hat, bandaged eye, and crocodile on his back. Jim. Wasn't he dead? Judai had _seen_ him die!

_No, this has to be some sort of hallucination or something,_ he thought. Regardless, when the Jim apparition activated his duel disk, Judai panicked. _No! Jim, don't!_

However, this duel had a much different outcome than the previous one. Jim didn't lose like Ryo did—somehow, he actually pulled out a victory.

Judai's eyes flew as he gasped. He heard a few other people gasp and a familiar voice said, "Aniki!"

* * *

"Judai, how are you feeling?" Asuka asked.

He looked at her as if he was seeing a ghost. "A-Asuka...?" he said questioningly.

"Yes, Judai. Are you all right?"

He didn't answer; he just sat up and looked around at the group. "Sho, Johan, Manjoume, Fubuki, Jim... You're all okay. But how?"

"Judai, you're not making a lot of sense, mate," Jim said as he knelt down beside Judai. "What do you mean, we're okay? Why wouldn't we be?"

"I-I saw you die," he said in barely a whisper. His eyes widened, and he looked around. "Where's Ryo?" he asked urgently.

Sho looked down. Asuka gave Judai a sympathetic look. His blood ran cold.

"He...he's not..."

"Aniki, it's okay," Sho said, looking at Judai. "He knew the risks when he challenged Haou, and he was willing to take the risk to save you."

Judai stared for a moment, not sure exactly how to react to this. Then, he asked, "Did you just call me 'aniki'?"

"You don't mind, do you?"

"No, of course not. But why are you calling me that all of a sudden?" Judai asked.

Sho shrugged. "You remind me of my brother, sort of."

Judai thought he was going to be sick when Sho said this. Of course Sho would have a brother. _Bet my life it's the one I killed. Now that I think about it, that comment about keeping siblings alive would only make sense with Sho._

"I'm sorry, Sho," Judai said quietly.

"I told you, don't worry about it. He knew the risks when he challenged Haou."

"You do realize that I'm the one who...sent him to the stars, right?" Judai said, feeling even more guilty with each word. "So why are you calling me 'aniki'? I..." He trailed off.

Sho shook his head, saying, "It wasn't you, Judai. It was the darkness that took over: Haou."

"How do you guys know about this anyway?" he asked.

Yubel rubbed the back of her head. "I told them. I was worried after you had those nightmares, so I told them about the origin of Dark World's reputation." Then she cast a look at Johan. "Although, Sho wasn't there. Should I assume you told him, Andersen?"

Johan rubbed his head, chuckling. "I guess we were thinking the same thing, Yubel," he said.

The mention of the story reminded Judai of something: He should be dead right now. "Hey, wait a minute. Shouldn't I be dead or something?"

Asuka cringed at how casually he asked this. "Jim has the Eye of Orichalcum, which apparently defies the laws of mortality in Dark World," Yubel said equally casually.

Judai thought back and vaguely remembered a red glow at the end of the duel. _I guess that was the Eye of Orichalcum,_ he thought. _Weird._

"Anyway, Judai, how are you feeling?" Asuka pressed.

"I just went on a mad killing spree, of which a member of one of my friend's immediate families was a victim, and you're asking me that? Asuka, how do you think I'm feeling?"

"Hey, she was just worried about you, Judai!" Manjoume said. "Don't bite her head off."

"It's okay, Manjoume," Asuka said.

Judai sighed. "No, he's right. I'm sorry, Asuka."

She looked at him sympathetically. "So, are you feeling up to travel?" she asked. "Because we still need to get you home."

Judai nodded. "I want out of this hellhole," he said, standing up. He wobbled a bit, and Johan caught him before he could fall.

"Are you sure, Judai?" he asked.

"Johan, remember that time when Ruby decided that it would be funny to lead you into the girls' locker room at your high school, and the girls tied you up and were divided between beating you to a pulp and stealing your virginity? Yeah, I want out of here worse than you wanted out of there."

"Well, let's get moving, then!" Johan said over Yubel's laughter.

O'Brien, slightly disturbed, said, "Alright, who has a monster we can all ride? We're getting home by nightfall."

"Come to think of it," Fubuki said as Johan summoned the Rainbow Dragon, "why didn't we do this in the first place?"

"To avoid drawing attention to ourselves, but you've already proven that there are other ways to get unwanted attention, so forget about subtlety," O'Brien answered.

"Oh, come on! How did I prove that?"

Asuka glared at him. "One word: Ukulele."

"As if the Dark Army seriously came because they heard my ukulele," Fubuki said, his arms crossed.

"Trust me, they did," Asuka said. "They would have to be deaf not to hear a ukulele being played in the middle of nowhere."

Manjoume nodded. "And they would be pretty useless if they didn't check out the sound coming from an unpopulated area."

Fubuki pouted. Everyone boarded the Rainbow Dragon, and they headed back to Neo Space.

**Constructive criticism is appreciated, and reviews make for faster updates!**


	17. Chapter 16

**Okay, I'm back! And here's the next chapter. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Kenta paced anxiously. He had sent a rescue party out to find his son, but now said party was also searching for multiple teenagers who had taken off on their own, including Johan. _Knowing him, he's gone off to look for Judai. Yubel as well_, Kenta thought. _But what about all of the others? Amon Garam, the Marufujis, the Tenjoins..._

Too many families had reported their children missing in the last few days. Honestly, Kenta didn't think he could take one more call about a missing child, especially with his only son and heir missing at the same time.

"Any news, Kenta?" Kenta turned at his old friend's question.

"I'm afraid not, Henri."

Henri frowned. "You don't suppose that they've gotten themselves in trouble, do you? I mean, surely Johan's looking for Judai. What if he found him, and they were on their way back but found trouble? It's been five days!"

Kenta just shook his head. "I don't know what our sons could have gotten themselves into, my friend. I just hope that they're all right."

* * *

"How's Judai holding up?" Johan asked, looking over his shoulder at his friend. Shortly after they had taken to the sky, Judai had nearly fallen off Rainbow Dragon when he developed a fever.

"His fever's rising, if anything," Asuka said, concern lacing her voice. "Maybe we should land and take a break?"

Yubel looked over the edge of the dragon. "We're out of Dark World anyway. There's got to be civilization around here somewhere. Johan, land this thing! Now!"

Johan did as he was asked, landing in a clearing in the middle of a forest, and the gang got off the dragon. "O'Brien, Fubuki, set up camp. Sho, Amon, go find some wood to make a fire. Jim, Manjoume, get some water. Johan, go look for some help. Remember to follow the carbuncle because we all know you have no sense of direction," Yubel barked, pointing at everyone in turn.

"What about me?" Asuka asked, wondering if Yubel planned to exclude her from this. Surely, Yubel herself would be taking care of Judai.

Yubel looked at Asuka and said, "You stay here and take care of Judai. I'm going to send word to the castle, letting the Supreme King know we've found his son and we're on our way back. I'll be back as soon as I've done that."

Stunned, Asuka looked from Yubel to Judai, who had been laid down on a sleeping bag on the ground. She nodded before kneeling down beside the brunette.

"Alright, you all know what you're doing, so get to it!" Yubel demanded. "Now!"

Ruby appeared in front of Johan before running off into the forest surrounding them. Everyone else left to complete their chores as well, leaving Fubuki, O'Brien, and Asuka with Judai.

While the boys started pitching tents, Asuka pulled out her canteen, hoping that there was still some water in it that she could use while she waited for Jim and Manjoume to return. Sadly, it was empty. She wondered briefly how long they had been away from home.

A slight moan drew her attention to the sick boy before her. "Judai?" she said gently. Fubuki and O'Brien turned.

Slowly, Judai opened his eyes. "Hey. Where are we?" he asked, disoriented. He glanced around a bit. "Where's everyone else?"

"They'll be back, don't worry. How are you feeling, Judai?"

Judai laughed weakly. "You seem to be asking me that a lot lately, Asuka. Don't worry. I'll be fine." He looked around. "So, where's Yubel? I would think she'd still be here. And why are we in the middle of a forest?"

"Yubel's gone to send word back to the castle. You're sick, Judai. It probably isn't a very good idea for you to be traveling right now, especially not up in the air."

"So we're just gonna sit around in the woods?"

Asuka shook her head. "Johan's gone looking for help."

"Great idea. You do realize he has no sense of direction, don't you? That's how come he wound up in the girls' locker room in the first place, following Ruby Carbuncle around his new school," Judai said.

Shrugging, Asuka said, "Don't look at me. Yubel's been barking orders, although she did tell Johan to make sure he followed Ruby."

This earned a weak laugh from Judai. "So she does pay attention to how often he gets lost. I always wondered. Then again, she is usually the one who has to find him."

"That reminds me," Asuka said, "How did Johan get out of that locker room fiasco? I mean, that doesn't sound like it would have ended well."

"Yubel found him. They go to the same school, and she had gym next, so she walked into the locker room and saw what was going on. She says she's never going to let Johan forget it, and she brings it up every time she needs a favor from him."

Asuka smiled. "Well, that sounds about right for her."

A sound to the left drew Asuka's attention. "Hey, we're back," Manjoume said, walking over with Jim. He tossed his canteen to Asuka. "There's a river about 100 yards away."

"Thank you, Manjoume," Asuka said.

Jim, noticing that Judai was awake, said, "How are you feeling, mate?"

"Don't worry, Jim. I'm fine," he said.

"Aniki!" Sho came running over, carrying a pile of firewood. He knelt down beside his friend. "Are you okay?"

"I wish you guys would stop asking me that. Don't worry so much, Sho. I'll be fine," Judai said, giving a reassuring smile that somehow seemed forced to Asuka.

_Guilt, _Asuka thought. _He feels guilty about the things he did as Haou._

She debated trying to convince him that it wasn't his fault as she placed a damp cloth on his forehead to try to bring down his fever. Before she could, though, he closed his eyes and was asleep again.

There was a moment of silence before Fubuki, getting back to work along with O'Brien, said, "Well, that was an interesting conversation. Good to know he's not as bad off as we thought."

Asuka frowned, looking at Judai. Sure, maybe Fubuki was right and she was just imagining the strange behavior. But what if he was wrong? Was Judai really going to be okay? What happened in Dark World wasn't his fault, but he was still beating himself up over it. Would he ever get over this? It had to have been traumatizing, from what he had said about how he had become Haou.

* * *

"Well, Ruby, I really hope you know where you're going," Johan said. "Because I sure don't."

"_Aw, what else is new, Johan?"_

"Hey, I resent that! Even if it is true..."

He emerged from the forest moments later. "Oh, come off it! We're that close?"

He was standing on the outskirts of his hometown, with the castle visible on the cliff nearby. "We couldn't see the castle for the trees?" he joked weakly. "Well, if we're that close, we might as well get back to the castle."

Turning, he made his way back to the campsite. _"Hey, hold on! That's the wrong way, Johan!"_ Ruby called, running after him.

* * *

Sho and Asuka sat next to Judai, keeping an eye on their friend. Nearby, Fubuki played his ukulele, attempting to keep it down so as not to wake the prince. Amon and O'Brien were working on starting a fire, as the sun was setting. Jim had fallen asleep, using Karen as a pillow.

Yubel walked into the campsite. Before she could say anything, Johan crashed into her from behind. "Oops! Sorry, Yubel."

"Watch where you're going, Andersen!" she snapped. "Honestly, are you blind!?"

"Calm down. It was an accident!" he said. Then he turned to the rest of the group. "We're really close to home. We might as well finish the trip. Then Judai can get some medical attention, and we can all face the wrath of our worried parents."

Sho sighed. "I'm going to have a hard time explaining to my parents why they only have one son now..."

Jim placed a hand on Sho's shoulder, apparently having woke up during the conversation. "Don't worry, mate. It'll be all right."

Johan, wishing to break the awkward silence that followed this, said, "Anyway, we should get going." He called forth Rainbow Dragon, and the gang gathered their things, getting ready to head home. Once they had everything packed, they boarded the dragon again and finished the trip home.

* * *

"Your Majesty!" A man with a long blond ponytail burst into the room. It was hard to tell, honestly, if he was a man or a woman. However, despite appearances, Cronos de Medici was a man. He was also Judai's tutor, although he frequently asked for vacations and raises, something that Kenta didn't quite understand.

"You don't want a raise again, Cronos!" Kenta said, incredulous. "You aren't even working right now!"

"No, no, no, no!" Cronos said, frantic. "Rainbow Dragon has been sighted approaching the castle!"

Kenta stood. "That's Johan's monster," he said. Turning to a servant standing nearby, he said, "Inform the queen immediately, and the Andersens as well." The servant bowed before rushing out to carry out the king's orders.

With that accomplished, Kenta ran out to greet the boys. After all, if Johan's monster had been spotted, that must mean that the boy had found Judai. _Please, be all right, my son._

* * *

The dragon landed in the courtyard of the castle. They were met by several members of the royal guard, presumably those who weren't out searching for Judai.

"Johan!" a woman's voice called. Johan slid off his dragon just in time to be pulled into a hug by his mother. "Johan, where have you been!? You had be worried sick!" she sobbed.

"I'm sorry, Mom, but what did you expect me to do? Sit around and wait for someone else to find Judai?"

"I knew that's where you went, my son," his father spoke from beside him. "Still, it doesn't change the fact that you're grounded."

Johan groaned. The rest of the gang had also dismounted the dragon by now, so it went back into its card.

"Uh-oh," Yubel muttered, seeing the Supreme King coming. "Well, this should be fun."

"Judai!" His attention was on nothing more than his son's sleeping form, being held by O'Brien. "What happened to him?"

Johan answered, "Well, he was taken to Dark World..."

The king's eyes widened. "Dark World?"

"Yes, your Majesty," Yubel said, bowing. "And that's not the worst of it. But that's a long story. Right now, I suggest that we get Judai to the infirmary. He's a little under the weather at the moment."

"Yes, of course. And then you're telling me what happened." The king then looked at the others. "Well, at least that explains why everyone's children have been going missing," he muttered. "Your parents are all worried sick."

Sho looked down, thinking that his parents were going to be sick with grief soon.

* * *

"And that's pretty much it," Yubel finished. She had spent the better part of the last hour telling the Supreme King what had happened when they had gone to rescue Judai.

The king looked troubled. "So, my son fell to the darkness...and the Eye of Orichalcum is what saved him?" He looked around the group. "Which of you is Jim again?"

"That's me, your highness," Jim said, tipping his hat.

"Well, thank you for saving my son. I owe you a great debt."

"You don't owe me a thing, sire. Judai's my friend, and I wasn't about to let him suffer like that."

The king looked at Sho. "I'm sorry for your loss," he said.

Sho took a moment to answer. When he spoke, he was staring at the floor. "Ryo knew the risks when he volunteered. At least Aniki's okay."

Kenta stared. _Well, that was unexpected._

"Uh, Sho just started doing that recently," Johan said, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm not sure why, exactly."

"Because he's weird," Manjoume said.

"Manjoume!" Asuka snapped.

Fubuki shrugged. "What's wrong with that, Asuka? Aren't we all a little weird?"

Sighing, Asuka muttered, "This is really not the time for this."

"Well, regardless, I think all of you should get home and let your parents know you're all right." Several of the group looked ready to protest, so Kenta added, "Don't worry, Judai will be here when you get back. I'll tell the guards to let you in. After all, you're Judai's friends. You're always welcome in the castle."

Sho still looked ready to protest, but Johan said, "Don't worry, Sho. I'll come with you for moral support." Sho nodded, and everyone headed home.

Stopping in the doorway, Sho said, "I'll be back soon. If Aniki wakes up before I get back, can you tell him where I am?"

Kenta nodded. "Of course. Don't worry. He'll be fine."

"Thank you." Sho left, with Johan following behind.


	18. Chapter 17

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Prince, are you paying attention?!" Judai jumped as Cronos snapped at him for what had to be the hundredth time that day.

"Uh, I'm sorry. What were you saying?"

Cronos groaned; and people wondered why he always complained that he wasn't getting paid enough. Honestly, he didn't think any amount of money was enough payment for working with this boy.

There was a gentle tap on the door, which then opened to reveal Yubel. "Excuse me, but can I—?"

"Borrow the prince? So that you can take him to do whatever it is that you do when you drag him out of my lessons all the time? Why are you asking? He doesn't learn anything anyway! He might as well not show up!" Cronos threw his arms up into the air with that last statement. "I quit! And I mean it this time!" he said as he stormed out.

Yubel looked after him for a moment. "Well, it seems I was right about not doing this anymore..."

"He says that all the time, Yubel. Last time he said he might as well be trying to get oil from a water spout, but he still came back."

"That's probably because his jaw drops whenever he grades any tests he gives you because, even though you never seem to be paying attention, you still manage to pass," Yubel said with a smirk.

Judai smiled at her. "Well, he just thinks I'm not paying attention," he said. "Anyway, let's get going! Sho's party started a good fifteen minutes ago, and I promised him I'd be there!"

* * *

It had been several months since the gang had been to Dark World, and there had been no sign of trouble in the past months. Judai was a bit worried by this, but he didn't let it show; he didn't want to worry anyone, and everyone else seemed to have wiped the earlier incident from their minds.

A memorial service had been held for Ryo soon after their return. Sho had needed support more than ever, which is why Judai had pushed away his guilt long enough to be there for his friend. He still didn't understand why Sho called him "Aniki," or even why Sho wanted anything to do with him anymore. For all Judai knew, Haou could awaken again any time. It was a thought that chilled him to the bone, but it could happen. After all, he was the first prince to survive the ordeal.

These days, Judai acted like everything was okay, even though it wasn't. He was falling apart inside—he had killed people in the time that he was Haou. He had slaughtered entire villages and killed his friend's brother. That was probably what burned the worst: He had hurt Sho by killing his brother, and Sho had been watching from nearby.

This all made it seem very ironic that Judai was going to Sho's birthday party, what with the fact that just a few months ago, he had gone to a memorial service for the birthday boy's older brother.

_Sho says his parents are making a huge deal out of this one, and not just because he's turning 16. I can't blame them, since I killed one of their kids right after he had turned 18._

Judai shook those thoughts away; he couldn't be depressed today. He had to at least pretend to be happy, for Sho's sake. It was his birthday, after all, so the last thing he needed was a gloomy friend bringing him down.

He rang the doorbell at Sho's house, Yubel standing at his shoulder.

The door opened, revealing a woman with blue hair and green eyes: Sho's mother. "And who are you?" she asked.

Judai cocked his head. "I'm Sho's friend. I'm here for the party he said was going on today."

"Everyone on the guest list is already here. What's your name, exactly?" She sounded suspicious, as though she thought he was here to hurt somebody or something.

"Judai."

Her eyes widened. "You're not welcome here," she said, starting to close the door.

The only thing that stopped her was Sho. "Aniki, you're here!" he said, charging through the door at Judai.

Judai was still thinking of the whole "not-wanted" thing, so Yubel answered for him. "Of course! He said he would be, didn't he? And he was even _kind_ enough to drag me along." She emphasized "kind," looking at Sho's mother threateningly.

"Sho, did you invite him?" Mrs. Marufuji asked.

"Yeah, why, Mom?"

"Your mom was just telling me how I should have been here sooner," Judai said, forcing a smile. "She says it's rude to show up so late, since the party started a half hour ago." He looked at Mrs. Marufuji. "Right?"

She looked mildly stunned, but she nodded, much to Judai's relief. For a second there, he had thought that he would be ruining Sho's birthday one way or another.

"That's okay. I know you're busy. You're the prince, after all. Let me guess: Yubel had to get you out of another lesson with Cronos, and she was late."

Grinning broadly, Judai said, "You got it! So it's all Yubel's fault."

"Hey!" Yubel said indignantly.

"Anyway, come on in, Aniki! You're not that late," Sho said, leading Judai and Yubel inside. Mrs. Marufuji stepped aside, obviously reluctantly.

_Well, I guess there's at least one person in the family who understands why Ryo isn't here to celebrate his brother's birthday_, Judai thought.

* * *

A man clad all in black made his way through town. There was some place he had to be, and nothing was going to stop him from getting there. People stared at him, almost as if they were seeing a ghost. Which, he realized, they probably thought they were. He had supposedly "died."

As it turned out, being sent to the stars was more than a euphemism; it was the cold, hard truth. After losing his duel to Haou, Ryo Marufuji had found himself in another dimension, a place like Hell. It was bright and hot and painful... He would have been trapped there forever if something hadn't offered him a chance to escape. In exchange for his freedom, he simply had to defeat Judai in a duel. That shouldn't be a problem with his new deck.

_But first, I have a birthday party to attend_, he thought. _I doubt anyone had a better gift for him than I do._ He smiled wryly. _Besides, the target is bound to be there._

* * *

All things considered, Judai wasn't enjoying this party. He wished he hadn't come. Sho may not blame Judai for Ryo's death, but his parents obviously did. Judai agreed with them, so he wasn't upset about that at all, but it was difficult acting like he was a welcome guest when the hosts kept glaring at him.

"Judai, are you okay?" Asuka asked.

Judai jumped, then turned to look at her. "Yeah, I'm fine. You do ask that a lot, though, you know."

With a sigh, Asuka said, "That's because I never get an honest answer."

"Hey, guys, can we talk about this later?" Johan asked. Strangely, he seemed to be in the middle of a conversation with Yubel; however, both of them were staring at Judai and Asuka at the moment.

"Yeah, agreed, Asuka," Judai said. "This isn't the time for a conversation about your misconceptions of my behavior."

Asuka opened her mouth to retaliate, but Judai, not wanting to hear it, turned and walked away. He needed some fresh air anyway. He went out the back door, completely expecting the parents to "accidentally" lock him out and not sure if he'd care if they did.

_Why did I come? That's right, because Sho wanted me here for whatever reason. He's nuts, that's all there is to it. I mean, what sane person wants their brother's murderer at their birthday party!?_

As Judai stood there, lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear the footsteps behind him. "Well, this is a surprise," a voice said.

Judai's eyes widened, and he turned. What he saw made his eyes widen even more. "You..."

"Why are you standing out here alone, Judai? I thought you were Sho's friend. Shouldn't you be inside, celebrating with everyone else?" the teal-haired man asked.

"I-I just needed some air, that's all," Judai said, not totally sure why he was so defensive. "Aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Ryo smiled, but it somehow seemed darker than it should be. Then again, it's not like Judai had ever seen him smile before. Maybe this was why he didn't. Or the outfit could have been influencing Judai's thoughts on the situation.

_Black pants, black shoes, black shirt, black cape... Who does he think he is, Fujiwara?_

That's when Judai realized he might be in serious trouble. "Oh, crap. Is this, like, revenge or something?"

Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Revenge? No. But I have some information you may want to know about being sent to the stars: You don't die. You're just sent to another dimension. At least, that's what happened to me. I'm not sure if that's how it is for everyone, although I don't see why it wouldn't be."

Judai stared for a moment. "Wait, so, you're saying that you've been in another dimension this whole time? How did you get out?"

"That's an interesting story. We'll talk about that later. Right now, I'd like to give my little brother his birthday present." Having said this, Ryo opened the door and went inside.

Judai hesitated for a moment before following him.

* * *

"Hey, where's Aniki?" Sho asked, looking around.

Johan sighed, thinking that Judai might have left already. It wouldn't surprise him; Judai had become more of a loner lately.

Asuka gritted her teeth, fighting back the urge to snap at something, anything. It seemed to her that Judai was going out of his way to avoid them these days; she had gone to visit him a couple days ago and spent half the morning searching for him.

Yubel eyed Mr. and Mrs. Marufuji, certain that, if Judai had left, it was because of them. At the same time, she wondered why he would leave without telling her.

Mr. and Mrs. Marufuji were hoping that Judai had left. He had killed their oldest son, and they still didn't understand the details of that story. Sho had told them that Ryo had died in a duel with Haou, but a prince who had turned evil had to be killed; why was Judai still alive? They were seriously considering moving away from here before Judai took the throne.

Footsteps quickly crushed the hopes of the Marufujis. It sounded like their unwelcome guest was still here. However, the person who entered the room was the last person anyone had expected to see: clad all in black, with teal hair, and a serious expression on his face, Ryo entered the room.

"Ryo!" everyone exclaimed. Mrs. Marufuji ran over to her son, while Mr. Marufuji did a great impersonation of a fish. Sho seemed frozen; he wasn't moving at all.

"Ryo, is it really you? Are you really...?"

"It's me, Mother," Ryo said. Then, he turned to Sho. "You practicing to be a statue or something?"

Sho jumped and looked at Ryo. "Nii-san..." He jumped up and ran to his brother, throwing his arms around him in a hug. "You're alive! But...how? I saw you die!"

_Funny, I remember saying those lines once..._ Now Judai was wondering if this really was Ryo or if he was some sort of imposter. After all, there wasn't any proof of anything he was saying.

"Before we get too excited about him being back, I think he should give us just one good reason to believe him," Judai said, drawing attention to himself.

Mrs. Marufuji glared at him. "You get out of here! Ryo's not doing anything with you in our home!"

Stunned, Sho looked from his mother to Judai. Judai was avoiding everyone's eyes—it was easier than explaining what was going on between him and Sho's parents.

Things got worse when his dad got involved. "That's right! I'm not having a violent, evil dictator around my sons anymore!"

"Okay, that just plain hurts," Judai said. "I'm not violent, I'm not evil, and I'm definitely not a dictator!"

"Mom, Dad, what are you saying?" Sho said. Poor kid, he was still trying to process the fact that his parents hated his best friend. Yubel couldn't let this stand.

"You don't know anything, do you? Did nobody tell you anything?"

"No, I told them," Johan said, venom in his voice. "They just didn't understand, I guess. Wonder what language I have to explain it in for them to understand what I'm saying."

Asuka wanted to help Judai, but this was not the best way to do it, nor was it very good timing. "Guys, can we talk about this later?" she asked hesitantly. "Why don't we find out what happened to Ryo first?"

"Not with his attempted _murderer_ in our house!" Mrs. Marufuji said.

That comment started a riot. Yubel pounced on Mrs. Marufuji, ready to strangle her; Mr. Marufuji tried to pull Yubel off his wife while Johan yelled something about slander and Asuka tried to be heard over the madness as she told everyone to calm down. Judai just stood there, stunned. How was he supposed to argue with the truth?

"ENOUGH!" Everyone stopped when Ryo yelled over the chaos. "I have an easy way to settle this: A duel. I'll duel Judai. If he wins, we'll give him a free pass and declare him innocent of my attempted murder. If I win, I decide what happens to him. Agreed?"

Even if anyone did disagree, they weren't about to say so. Ryo's tone was deadly, and his expression was intimidating.

Ryo smiled. "Well, Judai. It looks like you and I will be dueling."

Judai looked at him apprehensively. "Great. And what happens to me if you win?"

"Well, you'll find out, won't you?"

Judai didn't like the sound of that, but it wasn't like he had much of a choice. "Fine. Let's duel."


	19. Chapter 18

**I'm on a roll this week! Must be the excitement from exams being over. Or maybe it's all that sugar that's conveniently located right outside my bedroom door. Whatever the reason, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX. Also, as usual with duels, if I messed up any effects, please let me know! And thanks to SpartanDog1 for inspiring some of the events in this chapter.**

"Somebody remind me how this happened, exactly," Sho said. "Because I'm still a little lost."

He, along with his parents and birthday guests, was standing outside in his backyard, ready to watch Ryo and Judai duel to determine Judai's guilt/punishment. Sho's brain was trying really hard _not_ to understand it, honestly, because his parents had instigated it, and he didn't want to believe that his parents had it out for his best friend.

"Well, Judai, I hope you're ready for this," Ryo said, a malevolent glint in his eyes.

"Bring it on, Ryo!"

Ryo smirked. "Alright. But, first, I have a house rule."

Judai raised his eyebrow. Mr. and Mrs. Marufuji looked at each other in confusion. Sho just stared, wondering when his brother had adopted a house rule. Ryo, meanwhile, pulled a briefcase out of seemingly nowhere. He opened it, revealing strange-looking cuffs with two spikes each on opposite sides of each other.

"These are amplifiers. They make the duel more exciting. We'll wear these during our duel."

"What do you mean they make things more exciting?" Judai asked.

"You'll see" was the only answer Ryo gave. "So, do you accept my house rule? It's either that or take my parents' ultimatum and cut all ties with our family."

Sho bit his nails, looking anxious. Catching this out of the corner of his eye, Judai decided that he best accept these ambiguous terms for Sho's sake, if nothing else. "Alright, Ryo, it's a deal. I'll duel your way," he said.

"Great. Then put these on."

Judai soon found himself outfitted with three of these amplifiers: One on each of his upper arms and one around his neck.

_I wonder what these things do?_ Judai thought, fingering the one around his neck. _Well, too late to worry about that now._

"Are you ready?" Ryo asked, activating his duel disk.

"As I'll ever be," Judai muttered, also activating his disk.

"DUEL!"

Ryo: 4000  
Judai: 4000

"I'll go first!" Ryo said, drawing a card. "I summon Exploder Dragon in defense mode!" (Def 0)

A blue dragon holding a bomb appeared on the field.

"When did Ryo get a card like that?" Asuka wondered aloud.

"I think a better question is what does he plan to do with it," Fubuki said, drawing everyone's attention.

"Where did you come from?" Jim asked.

"It's your turn now, Judai," Ryo said.

"Draw!" Glancing over his hand, Judai stared for a moment at the Polymerization card in his hand. He mentally shook himself, thinking this wasn't a duel he could afford to lose. "I activate Polymerization! With it, I fuse the Avian and Burstinatrix in my hand to summon Flame Wingman! (Atk 2100) Next, Flame Wingman attacks your Exploder Dragon!"

Flame Wingman shot a burst of fire at the dragon, destroying it. However, the bomb the dragon had been holding flew toward Flame Wingman, exploding on impact and destroying Judai's monster.

"Wait, what just happened!?" Judai asked.

"Exploder Dragon's special effect happened. When it's destroyed in battle, it takes its killer with it."

Judai growled as Ryo added, "That means I don't take damage from your monster's effect."

"I play one card face down," Judai said. "Turn end."

Without a word, Ryo drew his next card. "Here's where the fun begins, Judai. You wanted to know how these amplifiers make the duel more exciting, didn't you? Well, your about to find out. I summon Cyberdark Edge!" (Atk 800)

A strange bug-like machine appeared on Ryo's field, with razor-sharp wings and pincers. There were purple gems on its wings.

"When this card is summoned, I get to equip one level 3 or lower dragon-type monster from my graveyard to it. This card gains that monster's attack power! So, with only one dragon in my grave, you know which one I'm using."

Exploder Dragon came out of Ryo's graveyard, attaching to the Cyberdark Edge on his field and raising its attack power to 1800.

"Judai. You have no monsters on your field. So, Cyberdark Edge attacks you directly!"

"I activate my trap card, A Hero Emerges! You pick one card from my hand, and, if it's a monster, I get to summon it. So, what's it gonna be, Ryo?"

"The card on the left," Ryo said.

"Great choice! I summon Elemental Hero Bladedge!" (Atk 2600)

However, Ryo's monster continued with its attack. "Hey! Aren't you paying attention!? Bladedge has more attack points!" Judai exclaimed.

"I can see that, Judai. However, my monster has another ability. It can attack you directly, but then you only take half as much damage."

Cyberdark Edge attacked, bypassing Judai's monster to hit him directly.

Ryo: 4000  
Judai: 3100

"And, now you get to see what those amplifiers do," Ryo said, his voice filled with venom.

Judai tensed, just before a surge of electricity ran through his body, causing intense pain. "W-what?"

"When you lose life points, the amplifiers give you a little shock. You feel real pain in these duels, which just serves to make them more exciting for everyone, participants as well as spectators," Ryo explained.

"What kind of sick world have you been in!? This is crazy! And that wasn't a 'little shock'!"

"Suck it up and duel, Judai. I play one card face down and end my turn."

"Why would Ryo want to duel with those things!?" Fubuki exclaimed. "Judai's right, this is sick!"

"_I_ wonder why he wanted to duel Judai with those things," Yubel said. "Though I have a pretty good guess: He didn't like being killed, now he's getting brutal on Judai as payback."

"But he wasn't killed!" Asuka said. "Besides, Ryo's not like that!"

Yubel grinned at Asuka. "Aw, is he your boyfriend?" she teased.

"Yubel!"

"Sheilas, is this really the time for this?" Jim asked.

"Jim's right," Johan said. "This duel just got a lot more dangerous. Somebody could be seriously hurt."

Gritting his teeth, Judai drew his next card. Johan was right. If he wasn't careful, he could end up hurting Ryo in this duel. He couldn't do that again. There was only one option: Let Ryo win.

_I've already hurt him once. I'm not going to do it again,_ Judai thought. _Besides, I had this coming. This is payback for what I did as Haou._

"I end my turn," Judai said without doing anything.

"What!?" his friends exclaimed.

"Judai, you idiot!" Manjoume yelled. "I can't believe you just did that! You have a monster on the field with 2600 freaking attack points! His monster only has 1800! What's wrong with you!?"

"If you're planning to die, keep in mind that Neo Space will need a new king someday, and you're an only child!" Yubel added.

"Aniki?" Sho asked.

Johan and Asuka looked at each other. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Johan muttered.

Asuka nodded. "I think so."

Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? I'll give you a chance to take that back if you want."

Shaking his head, Judai said, "I already hurt you once. I'm not doing it again."

Mr. and Mrs. Marufuji looked at each other, not sure what was going on exactly.

"Well, if that's your decision, then it's back to me!" Ryo said, drawing his card. "I activate Pot of Greed, letting me draw two more cards." He paused, holding his next card up, drawing this out to make it more dramatic. "Are you ready for this next move, Judai?" Ryo asked. "I activate Polymerization! I'll fuse the Cyberdark Edge on my field with the Cyber Dragon, Cyberdark Horn, Cyberdark Keel, and Cyber Barrier Dragon in my hand!"

"That's a lot of fusion material," Judai said, sweating a little.

"Indeed. And it lets me summon Chimeratech Overdragon!"

The metal dragon that appeared outnumbered any other monster Judai had seen so far in heads—it had at least five that Judai counted. "So what's that thing's attack points?" he asked, not sure he wanted to know.

Ryo smiled darkly. "Chimeratech Overdragon's attack is equal to 800 times the number of monsters used for fusion material. I used five monsters, so its attack power is 4000!"

"What!?"

"Be glad that's all I used. Now, Chimeratech, attack his Bladedge!"

All heads on the dragon turned toward Judai's hero, firing bursts of energy at it and destroying it.

Ryo: 4000  
Judai: 1700

"And now, the fun part," Ryo said.

The amplifiers shocked Judai again. Honestly, Judai thought he'd rather fall off a building again, because maybe that would hurt less. _Which is exactly why I can't fight back! I'm not going to risk Ryo's life! I've already killed him once, and I'm not going to risk doing it again._

"Now, it's your turn, Judai."

Judai drew his card. "I play Clayman in defense mode," he said. (Def 2000) "Turn end."

Ryo raised an eyebrow. "Are you even trying? You've got to have _something_ better in your hand."

"I'm not fighting you, Ryo!"

"Then why did you accept my duel?"

"What other choice did I have?"

"You remember what happens if you lose, don't you?"

"Yes, I remember! You get to do whatever you want to me, and I can't complain about it. But I'm not going to duel you like this!"

"Why not?" When Ryo asked this, his parents directed their full attention to Judai.

"Because I already killed you once. I'm not doing it again. I've hurt too many people as it is, and I've had this coming for awhile now, whatever it is. So, go ahead and make your move!"

Ryo was silent for a moment. Then, he glanced over at his parents. "So, did you hear that?" he asked. "Judai doesn't want to hurt anyone."

Mrs. Marufuji looked away, not sure how to respond. Mr. Marufuji was, again, doing a great fish impersonation. Judai looked from Ryo to his parents in confusion.

"Wait, what?" he asked. "Am I missing something here?"

Ryo looked back at him. "I just wanted to show my parents that you're not a 'violent, evil dictator' or a murderer. And I hope you realized that as well, Judai."

Judai was taken aback. Here he had thought that Ryo was getting payback, but he was trying to make a point? "So...this duel's over then?" he asked, still slightly confused.

"Oh, of course not. You see, Judai, I can't let you surrender, nor will I surrender. Whether I made my point or not, you've still been playing poorly, and I'm going to take you out because of it! So, I'm going to finish this on this turn!" He drew his next card. "I activate my face down card, Call of the Haunted! With that, I bring back my Cyber Dragon. (Atk 2100) Now, Cyber Dragon attacks Clayman!"

The serpentine, metal dragon attacked the defending hero, destroying it and leaving Judai wide open.

"Chimeratech Overdragon, attack Judai directly!"

Judai braced himself, knowing this was going to hurt. As his life points dropped to zero, the amplifiers activated again, sending another jolt of pain through his body.

Ryo: 4000  
Judai: 0

Judai fell to his knees. "H-how much of a shock do those things give anyway?" he asked.

"Ryo, couldn't you at least have let him take off those stupid amplifiers before you did that!?" Asuka yelled.

"No. I meant it when I said that I use those as my house rule."

Asuka ran over to Judai. Yubel walked up to Ryo and slapped him in the face. He didn't even flinch.

"Judai, are you all right?" Asuka asked.

Judai was about to answer when his body started to dissolve into shadows. "Wait, what's going on!?"

"Judai!?"

Ryo looked shocked. What was going on? Was this what that thing had been after?

"Judai!" Several of the friends called out his name as he vanished right in front of them.

Yubel turned on Ryo. "What did you do to him!?" she demanded, grabbing him by the front of his shirt.

"I didn't do anything," Ryo responded. Sho charged him, pouncing him and wrapping his hands around his throat and knocking him from a very shocked Yubel's grip.

"Don't lie! What have you done!?" Jim and Manjoume started trying to pull Sho off his brother, while Mr. Marufuji caught his wife as she fainted at the scene.

"Sho, I'm not lying!" Ryo said, wrestling his way out of his brother's death grip. "I don't know what happened to Judai exactly! But this might be a good time for me to tell you how I got out of that other dimension."

Sho froze for a moment before getting off Ryo. "All right. Go ahead, then."

Ryo took a deep breath, knowing that, at the end of this story, Sho was likely to strangle him again.


	20. Chapter 19

**Woohoo! New chapter! And, for anyone who's reading my other story, it's getting updated today too! Also, spirits talking, human or duel spirit, is in quotes and italics. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Judai groaned. His head was throbbing, and he couldn't for the life of him remember why. Slowly, he opened his eyes. Then he blinked a couple of times to make sure they were really open.

He couldn't see anything. It was pitch dark wherever he was. Sitting up, he looked around, trying to see anything besides darkness. He didn't see anything, but he heard a laugh behind him that sent chills up his spine. Turning, he tried desperately to make out whoever was laughing.

"Who's there!?" he called, trying to keep the fear from his voice.

"Welcome to your eternal hell, Prince Judai," a voice said. "No one will find you here, and you'll suffer eternally. I hope you feel at home."

The voice sounded like it was enjoying tormenting him. Judai didn't really know if he wanted to know what it meant by "your eternal hell." However, he was about to find out. Pain suddenly engulfed his entire body. It felt as if he was on fire, but there were no flames. Judai screamed.

"Yes, that's it. Suffer. Scream. Nobody will hear you, and nobody will come for you. Nobody cares that you're gone," the voice said.

* * *

"Alright, we're all ears, Ryo, so start talking before Yubel—or worse, Sho—tries to kill you again," Fubuki said. The gang was gathered in the Marufujis' living room, waiting for Ryo to explain what had happened since last they'd seen him.

Ryo took a deep breath before diving into his story. "After I lost, I was sent to a dimension like hell." He decided to spare them the details of that dimension since his parents were in the room, leaving it at that. "I don't know how long I was there before someone or something offered me a chance to escape. I didn't see anyone... I just heard a voice, a male voice, telling me that it would help me if I did it one small favor."

"And what was the favor?" Johan asked.

"I had to defeat Judai in a duel." When everyone glared at him, he said, "You have to understand, this voice just said I had to win a duel. It never said I had to kill or kidnap him. It never said I had to do anything other than win. I thought that it was a harmless request; I duel Judai, I win, I don't have to go back to that hell and nothing happens to Judai... I should have known there was more to it than that, but I wasn't thinking at the time. I'm sorry."

There was silence while everyone absorbed this story. Yubel broke the silence. "So...someone or some_thing_? What do you mean, you don't think it was human?"

"I know it wasn't human, since it was able to free me from that dimension. What I mean is I don't think it was alive."

"That makes no sense, Ryo," Asuka said. "If it wasn't alive, why was it able to talk to you?"

"Well, it could be a ghost," Jim said thoughtfully, "but I doubt that a ghost could have done that."

"I don't know exactly, but the voice just sounded off. Whatever that thing was, it wasn't normal," Ryo said. "And I just let it use me to get Judai..." He was feeling pretty foolish right now; really, why hadn't he thought about his answer more? It was obviously a trap, looking back.

"It's okay, Ryo." Everyone turned, slightly shocked, as this had come from Sho. "You were desperate, and desperation can make a person do some crazy and stupid things. I understand. The important thing is that we find out where Judai is and get him back!"

"_I can help you there,"_ a voice said.

Everyone looked around, trying to figure out where the voice had come from. Asuka saw a cat sitting on the windowsill, but she was certain that cat hadn't spoken. As Asuka watched the fat, striped cat, it yawned, and they heard the voice again.

"_Well, is anyone going to let me in?"_

Asuka nearly fell off her chair.

"Asuka!?" Manjoume darted to her side, but she was already getting up and heading for the window. She threw it open, and the cat jumped to the floor. It opened its mouth again, and, this time, an orb of light came out of it.

"_Well, I'm glad someone figured it out."_ The voice was coming from the light._ "I've been sitting there listening the whole time, if only because Pharaoh wanted the food sitting on the coffee table."_

Sure enough, the cat was standing on the table, eating some sushi that had previously been Johan's.

"Who are you?" Ryo asked.

The orb floated over to the arm of the couch, where it revealed its true form: a tall, Asian man with long, black hair pulled into a ponytail running down his back. He wore a white dress shirt, black pants, and a red tie.

"_My name is Daitokuji. I was once a tutor for the young prince, although I doubt he remembers me, as this was when he was only five or so. I contracted a deadly illness, and, when I died, my spirit was eaten by my cat, Pharaoh. So please don't ask me what I'm doing here. That's what I'm doing here!"_ It sounded like he got that question a lot.

Fubuki stared from the spirit to the cat. "Wait a minute... So, your eternal resting place is your cat?"

"And how's that working out for you?" Manjoume asked, apparently enjoying the thought of this.

"_Never mind the cat! What I'm concerned about is Judai. We must find him, quickly, because what you described sounds like something I've read about it books. Something evil and dangerous. Something that could destroy Judai if we don't hurry!" _Daitokuji sounded, and looked, panicked as he said this.

"Wait, what do you mean!? You know what did this?" Asuka asked. She was worried about the "destroy Judai" bit, but she wasn't going to slow them down by panicking—she'd leave that up to Sho.

Daitokuji looked at her. _"Have you ever heard the legend of Dark World?"_

"Which one?" Yubel asked, sounding bored. "The one about the prince who turned evil, or the one about an evil force taking over?"

"_The second, Yubel," _Daitokuji said with a nod. _"Do you know this legend, or is your knowledge limited to the fact that a dark force did take over?"_

"That Dark World was corrupted by an evil force is common knowledge in Neo Space," Manjoume said, sounding slightly offended.

"Right," Jim said, "but nobody really knows anything more than that."

"_That's where you're wrong, my friend. _I _know more than that."_

"Well, then, tell us!" Asuka demanded. "If this has to do with what's happened to Judai, then we need to know."

"_I was planning on it. Patience. Now, long ago, Dark World was a part of Neo Space. In fact, the center of the kingdom was once there. However, one day, a dark force arrived from another world. It was severely weakened, and it was seeking a place where it could restore its powers. Neo Space was too bright, but the presence of the Darkness of Creation made it the most suitable place for this force to regain its power. So, this dark force took over the king of the time, the first one to be born with the righteous power of darkness, and absorbed this power to regain its strength."_

Daitokuji paused to let them absorb this. After all, this was a strange tale. Even stranger because it was true.

"_Once it had regained enough strength, this force let go of the king. By this point, however, the people had fled, including the rest of the royal family. After all, this force had made the king rule with an iron fist: All those who opposed him were slaughtered without a moment's hesitation. That is why, when this dark force released the king, the only living things remaining in the area were duel spirits. This force had taken a liking to Neo Space and decided to make our world its permanent home. Using its powers, it blotted out the suns in Dark World, replacing them with a comet. The suns haven't risen in Dark World ever since. However, this dark force had aimed to get all of Neo Space, but the area to which the people had fled was protected by several light duel spirits, including your Rainbow Dragon, Johan."_

Johan looked at his deck in awe. His ace card had played a vital role in protecting Neo Space from complete darkness.

"_Ever since, this dark force has ruled Dark World, trying to cause trouble whenever the opportunity arises. Every time a prince becomes Haou, it's the fault of the true ruler of Dark World. For lack of a better name, it is simply referred to as Darkness."_

"Darkness!?" Yubel and Johan demanded.

Everyone looked at them. "You've heard of this thing, then?" Ryo asked.

Johan nodded as Yubel explained, "We've heard of it as a legend. Nobody ever told us that it really exists! It's just a fable told to convince kids to behave, like the threat of being sent to Dark World."

"Yeah," Johan said. "Except this is the one the nobles use on their kids because they already know what's up with Dark World, so it isn't as scary for them. Our parents said that, if we misbehaved, we'd be sent to Darkness's world and left at his mercy. Did I mention that Darkness doesn't know the meaning of the word?"

Ryo closed his eyes thoughtfully. "That explains it, then. Judai's been sent to a world where Darkness controls everything. That must be what happened to me as well."

"_Yes. After all, Darkness established the rules in Dark World. Everyone else who loses in Dark World really does die. You were saved because he thought that he might be able to use you."_

"Well, how do we save Aniki!?" Sho demanded.

"Calm down, Sho!" Johan said, gripping his shoulders and looking him in the eye. "Look, if it's true that Darkness has Judai, then all we have to do is defeat Darkness. Once we've done that, we can save Judai."

"What makes you say that, mate?"

"Because," Yubel answered, "if we can defeat Darkness, we can dispel it, at least for a little while. When Darkness doesn't have enough power to maintain its own form, it shouldn't have enough power to keep Judai trapped."

"It sounds like a long shot," said Manjoume.

Fubuki nodded. "But it's all we've got. So, let's go kick Darkness's butt!"


	21. Chapter 20

**Okay, long chapter. I probably could have split it in two, but I figured I'd just give you guys a longer update. Hope you enjoy, it took me forever to figure out! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Hold on!" Mrs. Marufuji said. "Ryo, you just got back! There's no way you, or Sho for that matter, are going back out to fight some dangerous..._thing_! What if you never come back this time?"

Sho looked at his mother and said, "Mom, I can't speak for Ryo. But you can't stop me. I'm going, like it or not. Aniki needs me."

Ryo looked at Sho. "Wait...'Aniki'?"

"Yeah, he started doing that after you died," Fubuki said casually. "You've been replaced by Judai."

"Hm." Ryo smirked. "Well, if Judai's your 'Aniki,' Sho, then that makes him my brother as well. In other words, you can count me in. Besides, I want a crack at the thing that used me!"

"But—"

"Let them go, honey," Mr. Marufuji said. "You can't stop them. If you try, they'll just sneak out when you aren't looking. You know that." He looked at his sons. "I wish you luck. And, when you see Judai, tell him I'm sorry."

Sho and Ryo nodded. "Got it, Dad," Sho said.

Johan looked around at the group. "It's probably easier to ask if anyone's _not _in, right?"

"You know the answer's 'no,' Johan!" Fubuki said. "Of course we're all in!"

O'Brien nodded. Jim said, "When a friend's in need, you can't stand by and let them suffer."

"Jim's right," Asuka said.

"We can't just let the prince get sucked away into another world!" Manjoume said. "Who's going to run things around here if we do?"

Yubel looked at them all. "When Judai first met you, I thought that he was getting ahead of himself by calling you his friends. After all, you all knew that he was the prince, so I thought you might just be after royal favor. I see now that I was wrong—you're all willing to risk your lives for him. Only true friends would do that. I'm sorry I've been so cold with all of you."

"Then it's settled!" Johan said. "We'll all head out to Dark World and see if we can't find Darkness."

"_I'll come as well," _Daitokuji said. _"After all, I may be able to be of assistance."_

"You already have been, Daitokuji," Yubel said. "But, if you insist..." She picked up Pharaoh the cat and put him in a bag, leaving the bag open slightly.

O'Brien looked at everyone. "Alright, let's gather our supplies and get ready. We'll meet back here in an hour."

* * *

An hour later, the gang was gathered outside of the Marufujis' home. "Is everyone ready?" Johan asked. At their collective nod, he said, "Then let's get going! Back to Dark World!"

Fubuki, trying to lighten the mood, said, "You know, this has to be some sort of record. Has there ever been a case when any sane person returned from Dark World then voluntarily went back?"

"Nope," Yubel said. "Then again, some of us aren't sane anyway, so I think it messes up your record a bit, Fubuki."

"Oh, very funny, Yubel."

Johan summoned his Rainbow Dragon. "Alright, everyone hop on! We're not wasting any time!"

"_Who knows what Darkness could be doing to Judai while you two are making bad jokes,"_ Daitokuji said to Yubel and Fubuki.

Yubel glared at the bag slung over her shoulder, the one with the cat in it. "Can it or you're staying behind!"

As they flew toward Dark World, O'Brien asked, "So, how are we going to find this Darkness creature? Do you have a plan, Johan?"

"Well, since Darkness rules Dark World, you would think he'd be in the castle there, right?" Johan said. "So, I was thinking we'd check there first."

"And what if he's not there, mate?" Jim asked.

"We'll get to that later!"

Manjoume looked at Johan lamely. "You don't know?"

"If he's not there, we take his kingdom from him and light it up!" Asuka said. "That should _make_ him appear."

Ryo nodded. "Good idea, Asuka."

The gang didn't care about subtlety this time around—they were going after the ruler of this land, so there was little point in worrying about being subtle. Besides, even if he saw them coming, they had a plan to flush him out. When they landed at the Dark World castle, Sho and Asuka charged right in.

"Hold on!" O'Brien called.

"Forget it," Ryo said. "Sho's not going to listen to reason. He'd charge right into a pit of lava right now. If you want to keep them alive, just follow." With that, he and Fubuki entered, following their siblings.

Johan and Yubel went with Ryo and Fubuki. Jim and O'Brien looked at each other before following the rest of their party inside.

* * *

"Well, all clear so far," Fubuki said as they searched the castle. "Someone remind me how we got in here so easily?"

"When there's no Haou, there's supposedly nobody here," Yubel said. "But, then again, nobody's ever really looked into that. Everything we know about Dark World comes from that sole survivor's story. He said that everyone vacated the castle when Haou was defeated." She looked around. "I'm surprised, honestly, that this is the case. Why doesn't anyone else step up as ruler?" she mused.

"Can you worry about that later?" Johan asked. "Let's focus on the matter at hand for now, okay?"

They entered the king's chambers, the last room in their search. There wasn't anyone in there, either.

"Okay, that's it," said Yubel. She walked over to the window, pulling out a card. "I summon Judgment Dragon!" A huge, white, winged dragon appeared. It had red claws and eyes, and its front half was coated in feathers.

"What is that!?" Manjoume exclaimed.

"Meet the Judgment Dragon, the most powerful card in my deck," Yubel said. "And a Light-attribute monster to be reckoned with."

"Wait a minute, I thought you're ace was that Ultimate Nightmare thing," Johan said.

"I have two decks." She shrugged. "Sue me."

Calling forth this light creature had the desired effect—shadows started swirling around before them. A figure formed out of the shadows. When the shadows faded, there was no doubt in anyone's mind that this was Darkness.

The _thing_ before them was robed in black. Its clothes were tattered. The cape it wore was red on the underside, and its eyes were glowing blue. The creepiest thing about this thing, though, was that it was a skeleton. _Literally_ nothing more than a skeleton! They could see its ribs through an opening in its outfit, and its skull was visible under a hood. It wasn't a human skull, either—it had a long snout and horns.

"Who dares bring light to my domain?" it asked.

"I dare!" said Yubel, stepping forward. "My name is Yubel, and I represent the kingdom of Neo Space. Return our prince to us!"

Johan was impressed; she sounded so sure of herself, as if Darkness had no choice but to bow to her whims. Blushing, Johan decided that, if _he _were Darkness, he would do as she said. He shook his head, wondering where this idea had come from.

_This isn't the time for that, Johan!_ he scolded himself. _Your friend's freedom is a stake! Focus!_

"Why would I do that?" Darkness asked. "You have nothing else that I want, and giving you back your prince doesn't benefit me at all."

"Alright," Yubel said, her duel disk appearing on her arm. "I'll make you a deal: Duel me! If I win, you return the prince to us. If you win, you can keep him and all of us."

Everyone stared at Yubel. "Are you sure about that!?" Johan hissed.

He regretted it a second later when Yubel added, "If you're still unsure, this boy here is the prince's best friend. He's practically royalty himself, and, should anything happen to Judai, the most likely candidate to take the throne if the king and queen can't have another child."

Johan wanted to strangle her.

Darkness pondered the offer for a moment. "Hmm... Very well. I accept your challenge." Five wings appeared on Darkness's back. "Now, are you ready?"

Yubel activated her duel disk. "You better believe it, Darkness!"

"Oh, boy..." This wasn't good. They hadn't planned on _dueling_ Darkness! "Yubel, what are you doing...?" Johan wondered.

Yubel and Darkness drew their five cards. The others stood on the sidelines, some wondering if Yubel could win this and others fuming over her betting _them_.

"DUEL!"

Yubel: 4000  
Darkness: 4000

"I'll go first," Darkness said, drawing a card. "I activate the field spell, Darkness." The world around them changed, just as it does any time a field spell is activated. It grew darker and creepier, which was saying something since they were in Dark World to begin with. "This card has me set Infinity, Darkness 1, Darkness 2, Darkness 3, and Zero from my hand or deck." As Darkness spoke, five cards appeared face down on his field. "Next, I summon Darkness Eye in attack mode." (Atk 0)

A creepy eyeball appeared on Darkness's field. Yubel was thinking that the sooner she got this duel over with, the sooner she wouldn't have to see that thing anymore. _Then again, given my ace card, I'm one to talk,_ she thought wryly as the image of Yubel the Ultimate Nightmare flashed in her mind.

"Turn end."

"My turn, then!" Yubel drew her card. "I don't know why you played a monster with no attack points in attack mode, Darkness, but you're going to regret it!" _Although I have to watch out for those face-downs. And it's possible that his monster has some sort of special ability._

Yubel looked over her hand, smiling. "I summon Ehren, Lightsworn Monk!" (Atk 1600)

A woman with dark hair divided between two braids appeared on Yubel's field. She wore a white, sleeveless top and a red skirt, with gold trim on both, and gold bands on her arms. In her hand, she held a staff tipped at both ends with gold that seemed to be glowing.

"Lightsworn, huh?" Johan said. "This could be interesting. Light versus darkness. I didn't even know Yubel _had_ those cards!"

Fubuki shrugged. "I guess you learn something new every day."

"Ehren attacks your Darkness Eye!"

The monk moved to attack the eyeball, but Darkness wouldn't allow it. "I activate my trap cards, Zero and Infinity. When these cards are activated, I can activate every card between them."

Yubel looked at the positions of the cards on the field; she was lucky—there was only one card between them.

"I activate Darkness 1," Darkness continued. "This lets me destroy one card you control for each face up Darkness card I control. So, say goodbye to your Lightsworn Monk."

Yubel scowled as her monster was destroyed, leaving her field barren. "Now, at the end phase, I'll reset my cards and shuffle them, due to my field spell's effect."

_Darn!_ Yubel thought. _I didn't know his cards could do that. Well, at least I know what I need to stop this..._

"I end my turn." The three cards Darkness had activated flipped face down, and all five of them switched places.

"My turn. Draw. I activate the effect of Darkness Eye. As long as it's in attack mode, I can summon a monster without a tribute during my standby phase. I summon Darkness Destroyer." (Atk 2300)

The skeletal monster that appeared had razor-sharp claws, glowing red eyes, and huge spikes on its wings.

"Well, that's quite the monster you have there," Yubel said calmly.

"Darkness Destroyer has a special effect: It can attack twice during the battle phase. I believe this duel is over before it even began. Now, Darkness Destroyer, attack her directly!"

The creature attacked Yubel. She sucked it up; this was all part of her plan, and losing over half her life points wasn't too big a setback.

Yubel: 1700  
Darkness: 4000

"What are you doing, Yubel...?" Johan asked nervously.

"You're supposed to win!" Manjoume yelled.

In response, Yubel said, "Before you all freak out too much, I activate the effect of Gorz, the Emissary of Darkness!" (Atk 2700)

Everyone stared.

"If I control no cards, then, when I take damage, I can special summon this card. When I summon Gorz this way, I also get to summon one Emissary of Darkness token, which has attack and defense equal to the amount of battle damage I just took."

"Good move. Since it's a token and not a card, Darkness can't activate Infinity and Zero to destroy it," Asuka said.

"I activate Zero and Infinity," Darkness said. Due to some stroke of luck, there was, again, only one card between them. "I activate Darkness 2. This card gives my monster 1000 more attack points for every face up Darkness trap card I control until the end phase of this turn."

"Oh, that's not even fair," Yubel muttered.

_Well, I'll survive. No biggie._

"Darkness Destroyer attacks Gorz!"

Just as quickly as the monster had appeared, it was destroyed. "Well, that didn't go so well."

Yubel: 1200  
Darkness: 4000

"Due to Darkness's effect, my cards are shuffled and reset at random."

Manjoume looked at Johan. "Johan, tell me... Is Yubel usually this bad a duelist?"

"No, she's not. Then again, I've never seen her use this deck before, so maybe she doesn't know how to use it?"

"You know, I can hear you, boys!" Yubel called. "I'll just pretend you didn't say that."

"Turn end."

"Well, it's about time!" Yubel said, drawing her next card. "I activate Charge of the Light Brigade! I send the top three cards of my deck to the graveyard to add a level 4 or lower Lightsworn monster to my hand." Yubel took the top three cards and sent them to the grave, but one came back. "And guess what? One of the cards I just discarded was Wulf, Lightsworn Beast. (Atk 2100) When he's sent from my deck to my graveyard, I can special summon him!"

A white, humanoid creature with a wolf's head appeared on the field. Like the monk, it was wearing white and gold and carrying a staff. It had glowing claws on its hands.

"Now, I'll sacrifice him to summon Celestia, Lightsworn Angel!" (Atk 2300)

A blue-haired woman in white and gold armor materialized onto Yubel's field. She had white feathers in her hair and angel wings.

"Celestia's special effect: When I summon her by tributing a Lightsworn monster, I can send the top 4 cards of my deck to the graveyard to destroy two cards you control! So, we'll go with your Darkness Destroyer and your field spell!"

"I activate Zero and Infinity," Darkness said. This time, there were two cards between them. "I activate Darkness 1 and Darkness 2. With Darkness 1, I destroy your Lightsworn Angel. With Darkness 2, my Darkness Eye gains 2000 attack until the end phase of this turn."

Yubel smirked. "Thanks for that. Now there are four Lightsworn monsters with different names in my graveyard: Ehren, Wulf, Lyla, and Celestia. This allows me to special summon my most powerful monster! Come forth, Judgment Dragon!" (Atk 3000)

The dragon that Yubel had summoned earlier to get Darkness's attention appeared as Yubel called for it. It loomed over Darkness, looking rather menacing.

"Darkness, you can't activate Zero and Infinity again this turn. I activate Judgment Dragon's effect: By sacrificing 1000 of my life points, I can destroy all other cards on the field!"

"What!?"

Darkness's field spell, his five traps, his monster...they were all wiped out by the Judgment Dragon's effect.

Yubel: 200  
Darkness: 4000

Ryo looked impressed. "She stopped his combo. But can she turn this around and win?"

"Now, Darkness, you're wide open! But, before I attack, I activate Monster Reborn to bring back Celestia!" (Atk 2300)

Everyone was watching, holding their breath. Some of them half expected Darkness to have some other trick up his sleeve.

"Are you ready for this!? Celestia and Judgment Dragon attack you directly!"

Yubel: 200  
Darkness: 0

"NOOOOO! Mark my words, I'll be back..." Darkness said as it faded away.

"I don't doubt that," Yubel muttered. "But, hopefully, that won't happen in this lifetime."

Once Darkness was gone, a brunette appeared lying on the floor. But he wasn't the only one who appeared—there was another boy, dressed all in black, with olive hair.

"Fujiwara!?" Ryo and Fubuki exclaimed.

"Judai!" All the others ran over to their friend, while Ryo and Fubuki took care of Fujiwara.

Asuka checked for a pulse. She sighed in relief. "He's okay," she said.

"Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves here," Yubel said. "After all, we don't know what he's been through since Darkness took him. He could be worse off than we know."

"Ever the pessimist, aren't you, Yubel?" Johan asked teasingly.

"What about you? 'Maybe she doesn't know how to use that deck'?"

"Ehehe..." Johan rubbed the back of his head.

"Anyway, we should get Judai home," Jim said. "No point hanging around here."

"_Yes, agreed. And, Yubel, in the future, please be so kind as to clue us in to your plan. I'm sure many of us thought you were going to lose this one!"_

"Yeah, not gonna happen, Daitokuji," she answered. "Just settle for not being sacrificed to Darkness, okay?"

**I feel like I could have done better with the duel, but I don't know... Anyway, the deck Yubel used in this chapter was built by Shadgirl2, my sister. If I messed up any card rulings, let me know. I've never actually seen these cards in action (except for Darkness's in the anime), so it's likely that I messed up somewhere. Let me know what you think! Review please!**


	22. Chapter 21

**Woo, new chapter! I've said this before, but flashbacks are in bold. And we introduce a new character this chapter! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"When's he gonna wake up!?" Sho asked, worriedly. The gang was gathered in the infirmary back at the castle, along with the queen. Yubel and the king weren't there; Yubel was explaining things to the king. Pharaoh the cat was curled up on the foot of Judai's bed, sleeping.

Their return hadn't been fun...

**As the gang landed in the courtyard, there was apprehension among the group. What were they going to tell the Supreme King?**

"**Leave it up to me," Yubel said. "It's my fault, anyway, for helping him sneak out."**

"**No," Ryo protested. "I'm the one who dueled him and sent him to Darkness's world."**

"**Yes, but you just came back to life," Yubel retorted. "Wouldn't it be nice if you _stayed_ alive for a little while?"**

**Johan, tired of the arguing, said, "Guys, we'll just tell the truth. We can't get in too much trouble for that, after all. There's plenty of blame to go around. Besides, the Supreme King's not going to execute Ryo for dueling his son. He's not that cold."**

"**And why would I be executing anyone, Johan?"**

**Johan tensed, startled. Turning, he saw the Supreme King walking toward them. The king stopped when he saw Ryo.**

"**Well," he said, "I assume you're Ryo?" At Ryo's nod, he continued, "Not the one who sacrificed himself in Dark World, surely?"**

**Johan rubbed the back of his head. "Ah, about that, your Majesty..."**

**The king finally noticed his son, unconscious and being held up by Jim and Manjoume. "What happened!?" he demanded.**

"**...Yeah, I was getting to that," Johan said. "See, Judai wanted to go to Sho's birthday party, because today's his birthday... Well, Ryo showed up, and Mr. and Mrs. Marufuji didn't want Judai at their son's party, and Ryo dueled Judai, and he lost and got sent to another world, and—"**

"**Johan, stop!" Yubel said. "Why don't you let me tell the story? You seem a little anxious."**

**Sighing in relief, Johan said, "Great idea, Yubel! You tell him!"**

**Yubel looked at the others. "Get Judai and that other guy to the infirmary." Then she turned to the king. "Why don't we take this somewhere a little more private?" she suggested.**

**The king nodded. "Alright. But there had better be a good explanation for this." His tone told them that they were in trouble—how serious the trouble was yet to be seen.**

Johan was half expecting Yubel to be arrested for treason, along with Ryo, and maybe even Sho for inviting Judai. When the Supreme King came in, however, he was accompanied by Yubel, not the royal guard.

_Well, I _think_ that's a good sign_, Johan thought, unsure. He looked to Yubel for reassurance.

"What happened?" he whispered to her.

"Well, I'm in trouble. But I managed to get the rest of you out of it," she answered.

"I'm sorry."

Yubel shrugged. "Don't worry about it. It's nothing serious; I just have to play maid for awhile."

Imagining Yubel in a maid's outfit, Johan blushed. _Aw, man! What's with me today? Why do I keep doing that!?_

Yubel raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine," he answered, turning away.

"Kenta," the queen said, turning to her husband. He wrapped a supportive arm around her shoulders.

"It's all right, Hikari," he said. "I'm sure Judai will be fine."

A moan escaped the brunette, drawing everyone's attention. "Judai?" Yubel asked, darting over to the bed.

Slowly, he opened his eyes. "Hey. What's up?" he asked.

There was a collective sigh of relief. "Not much," Yubel said, smiling. "How are you feeling?"

"Uh... Can I get back to you on that?" he asked. Then, looking around, he said, "So, the party's over?" Catching sight of his parents, his eyes widened."Oh... Crap..."

"Sneaking out of the castle to go to a friend's birthday party?" The king shook his head. "Why didn't you just say that you had promised you would be there? I'm not unreasonable, Judai. I would have allowed it."

"Well, I didn't want to show up with the royal guard," he said defensively. "I figured that might be a little more dangerous than going it alone. Or, with Yubel, anyway."

The king sighed. The queen shook her head. "Judai, you're the only heir to the throne! If anything happens to you, the kingdom will fall into ruin. But, more importantly, you're our only child! Our baby," she said.

"MOM!" Judai said, blushing.

"Ah, well. No point trying to reason with him, Hikari," the king said. "As you've already pointed out, he _is_ my son."

The queen sighed. "Yes, he is, isn't he? Just as reckless as his father used to be."

"I resent that," both the king and Judai said. They looked at each other, mildly stunned.

"I rest my case," the queen said with a slight smile.

Another moan, this one from the olive-haired boy, was heard. Fubuki and Ryo turned their attention to him.

"Fujiwara?" Fubuki asked.

The boy opened his eyes and looked at the two standing by his bed. "Fubuki, Ryo... Where am I?" he asked. "What are you doing here? What's going on?"

"That's what we wanted to ask you," Ryo said. "You've been missing for about a year now. What happened?"

Fujiwara thought for a moment. "I...I don't remember exactly. You say I've been gone a year?"

"Yes," Fubuki said. "And we've been looking for you that whole time."

"Your aunt has been harassing the police lately," Ryo said with a smirk, "because the police closed your case, saying that they couldn't spend all their time searching for a missing teenager and that you were probably dead by now."

"But, besides that, don't worry about what happened. It's over now anyway. And, trust me, you don't want to know what you've been up to," Fubuki said, earning a glare from Ryo.

"What I've been up to?" Fujiwara asked, confused. "What have I been up to?"

"Nothing. _Right_, Fubuki?" Ryo said firmly.

Sweating, Fubuki said, "Uh, yeah! Nothing!"

Yubel reached over and pulled the curtain around that bed. "Let's give them some privacy, agreed?" she said teasingly.

Everyone nodded.

"Well, Judai, I suppose you should get some rest," the king said.

"I'm fine," Judai protested. "There's no reason for me to stay here. I'm just wasting space that could be used for someone who really needs to be here."

"Well, I'll be the judge of that." Everyone turned to see Emi Ayukawa, a nurse in the infirmary. "Let me through."

The nurse proceeded to give Judai a full examination, much to his annoyance. "I'm telling you, I'm fine!"

"Yes, well, let's just make sure, prince," she said. She checked his heart rate, blood pressure, reflexes, and just about everything else she could thing of. When she was finally done, she said, "Well, for once, it seems you're right, Judai. You have a clean bill of health."

"I told you, didn't I?" he said, still looking a little annoyed. "Can I go now?"

Sighing, Ayukawa said, "I suppose. But take it easy, okay?"

"Yeah, okay," Judai said, getting out of bed. "Sheesh..." he muttered.

Johan frowned; something seemed a little off about Judai, but Johan couldn't put his finger on it. "Are you sure you're feeling okay, Judai?" he asked.

"Yes, Johan, I'm sure. Don't give her any reason to make me get back in bed!" Judai said as he walked out of the infirmary. The others followed him, with the exceptions of Fubuki and Ryo, who remained behind with Fujiwara.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a lab on the other side of town, a black-haired boy with gray eyes was working feverishly. He was on the verge of an important discovery, and he wasn't about to stop now!

A knock on the door interrupted his work. "Daichi," a woman's voice said, "dinner's ready! Stop tinkering in there and come eat!"

"Mom, I'm busy!" the boy named Daichi responded. "I'll eat later!"

His mother sighed; that was just like her son—ever the scientist. He had once gone a whole week without food just so he could find a cure for the common cold! His mother had told him repeatedly that he would get over his cold faster if he just got some rest and actually ate something, but he didn't listen. In the end, he did find a cure, but that was beside the point.

"Daichi Misawa, get your butt out of that room and seated at the dinner table this instant!" she demanded. _Why did I marry a scientist? His obsession carried over into our son!_

"But, Mom!"

"Don't you 'but, Mom' me, young man! Whatever you're doing, it can wait until you've eaten!"

Misawa sighed, heading for the door. Suddenly, an alarm sounded. "What!?" He turned to look at the machine emitting the noise. The screen showed a single white line, spiking out of control; to the average observer, the readings would make no sense, but Misawa understood them perfectly, and he knew that they spelled trouble.

"Oh, no!" he said. "The Light of Destruction is on the move!"

"Daichi!?" His mother was getting impatient.

Misawa charged through the door and down the hall, saying, "I'm sorry, Mom, but I need to report this to the king immediately!"

"Daichi Misawa, you get back here right now, or I'm taking away your chemistry set!"

He didn't listen—this was more important than his chemistry set. This concerned the fate of the world!

**So, there you have it! Review please!**


	23. Chapter 22

**Alright, here's the next chapter! We're getting into the other half of this story (finally), the light half! Remember, this story is called Fighting Light _and_ Darkness. So, now that Darkness is dealt with, let's move on to the light! This chapter's basically just a connector/filler. Also, due to the Darkness stuff, Judai's gone all season 4/emo/depressed/whatever-you-want-to-call-it on us.** **Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Judai, are you absolutely, 110% sure that you're—"

"Johan, ask me that one more time. Go on, I dare you," Judai said, turning and glaring at Johan.

"Whoa, what's gotten into you, Judai!?" Yubel said. "Threatening Johan? That's my job!"

Sho looked at Judai a little nervously. "Aniki...?"

With a sigh, Judai said, "Look, I'm fine. Okay?"

Asuka, not buying it, said, "Judai, if you want to talk about—"

"No. Whatever you're about to say, no," Judai said firmly. "Just leave me alone, okay?"

Jim, stunned, asked, "What did you say, mate?"

"I said 'leave me alone!'" Judai snapped before running off.

"Judai!" Asuka called.

"Get back here, you idiot!" Manjoume yelled. "Do you have any idea what we went through to rescue you!? _Either_ time you were captured!?"

"Just let him go," O'Brien said. "Like Yubel said earlier, we don't know what he's been through. Let's give him some time. I'm sure he'll tell us what happened eventually."

Johan sighed. "Yeah, I guess you're right, O'Brien. Still, it's frustrating."

"Agreed," Yubel said, "but there's not much we can do about it if Judai doesn't want to talk about it. I'm sure O'Brien's right—let's just let Judai have his space for now."

Not that all of them would take that advice.

* * *

Judai walked through the castle, feeling slightly guilty for how he had treated his friends. _I shouldn't have yelled at them like that_, he thought. _They were just trying to help._

Granted, that didn't mean he regretted telling them to leave him alone; he _did_ want to be alone right now. He couldn't tell you why, but he just didn't feel like being around anyone. Something that had happened to him in Darkness's world must really have taken its toll on him.

"Man, what did that thing _do_ to me?" he muttered, putting a hand on his head. He knew he was acting strange, and he understood that his friends were worried about that. But he didn't know _why _he was acting this way. What had happened in Darkness's world was all a blur; he remembered pain, physical and emotional, but he couldn't remember exactly what had caused the pain._  
_

Just then, not watching where he was going, he bumped into someone when he went to turn a corner.

"Agh! Sorry," he muttered. He looked at the man he had just run into.

The first thing Judai noticed: This guy was wearing a white lab coat, meaning he was a scientist. His black hair was flushed back and to the left.

"No, no, that's all me," the man said, shaking his head as he got to his feet. "I wasn't paying attention. You wouldn't know where I can find a member of the royal family, would you?" he asked, gray eyes looking at Judai urgently.

"Uh, actually, you're looking at one," Judai said reluctantly. "Why?"

The man's eyes widened as he got down on one knee. "Your Highness! My sincerest apologies for—"

"Skip the apology and tell me what you need."

Getting to his feet, the man said, "My name is Daichi Misawa. My father is a scientist who works for the Supreme King."

Judai raised an eyebrow. "Wait, your father is?"

Nodding, Misawa said, "Yes. Although, I do spend a great deal of time in his lab."

_Guess that explains the lab coat, then_, Judai thought. _Weird guy._

"Anyway, I invented a machine that monitors the activity of the Light of Destruction, and the activity is off the charts!"

Judai stared at him for a moment before asking, "And what does that mean, exactly?" He didn't know if he wanted to know when this guy invented this machine and doubted he would understand how it worked.

"It means, your Highness, that the Light of Destruction is extremely active right now!" Misawa said urgently. "It's influence is spreading rapidly!"

Judai groaned; of course the Light of Destruction would be making its move now! Why wouldn't it be? _Can't I ever get a break?_

"So, what you're saying," Judai said, making sure he hadn't misheard anything Misawa had just told him, "is that the Light of Destruction is threatening Neo Space, and it has to be dealt with soon because it's gaining power at an insanely high rate. Is that it?"

"That's exactly it, your highness," Misawa said with a nod.

"Well, I guess it's about time for me to fight the Light of Destruction, then," Judai muttered. "Great. Wonderful."

Misawa fidgeted a bit. "Ah, may I ask, who are you, exactly?"

"I should think that would be obvious," Judai said. "I'm the prince. Who else would I be? Come on, I'm too young to be king, definitely not queen, and I don't have any brothers or sisters." Seriously, did this guy _live_ in the lab or something?

"Ah, yes!" Misawa said, embarrassed. "Yes, you have a point, your Highness."

"Thanks for the information. I'll go inform the king immediately," Judai said, leaving to go find his father.

* * *

Misawa stood there for a moment, staring after the prince. "The prince, huh? Funny, he seemed different..."

Misawa had never actually met the prince, but he had definitely seen him around before. As one of the king's employees, Misawa's father spent a great deal of time in the castle, and Misawa often accompanied him to work. On many occasions, Misawa had seen the childish prince—that boy hadn't seemed like the same person. His eyes were more serious and less child-like, his body was more toned, and he just gave off this aura that said not to mess with him.

Shaking his head, Misawa decided he must be imagining it. He turned to leave and found himself face-to-face with a group of teenagers.

"Uh, can I help you?" he asked nervously—they were just standing there, staring at him! _What's with these people?_

"Yeah," a boy with teal hair said, stepping forward. "You just said that the prince seemed different. What do you mean 'different'?"

"And how would you know?" a girl with purple hair asked.

Misawa looked from one of them to the other. "Ah, I don't know. It was just an observation. Why do you ask?"

The boy sighed. "We're friends of the prince, and we were thinking that something was off about him, too." Holding out a hand, he said, "I'm Johan Andersen."

Misawa shook his hand. "Daichi Misawa."

"I'm Yubel," said the girl. "Don't worry about these guys," she said, waving her hand dismissively. "They don't matter."

"Hey!" a black-haired boy protested.

Misawa looked at the group, and his eyes landed on a familiar face. "Asuka Tenjoin!" he said.

Startled, Asuka asked, "Have we met?"

"We were in kindergarten together," Misawa said. "I'm not surprised you don't remember, honestly. You were too busy trying to pretend you didn't know the second grade boy with the same last name as you who regularly played the ukulele at recess."

"Oh," Asuka said, blushing. "I remember that..."

"Well, anyway," Misawa said, "if you're concerned about the prince, why don't you ask him what's going on?"

"Because he doesn't want to talk about it," a blunette wearing glasses said. "I'm Sho, by the way."

"I told them to wait until he was ready to tell us," a muscular boy said, "but they insist on prying."

"Well, Judai doesn't usually keep secrets!" Johan said.

"So, if he is, that means we really need to know what's going on! How are we supposed to be there for him if we don't know what's wrong?" Yubel said.

The boy who had proposed leaving Judai alone looked at Misawa, his arms crossed, and said, "You see what I mean, don't you?"

"Hm, yes, I believe I do," Misawa said, nodding. "Who are you?"

"That's O'Brien," said a boy in a cowboy hat. He had...a crocodile strapped to his back? "I'm Jim. This here's Karen." The crocodile wiggled.

"Wait, that thing's alive!?" Misawa exclaimed.

"Jim gets that a lot," Johan, Asuka, Sho, and the black-haired boy said together.

"I'm Manjoume," the last one said.

"Well, it's nice to meet all of you," Misawa said. "Although, you should just let the prince have his space for now. I'm sure that, if he wants to talk about it, you'll be the first to know."

"That's not good enough!" Yubel said.

Misawa looked at Asuka, hoping to find the voice of reason among the group. "You know, you never struck me as the type to pry. Why are you here?"

Asuka shrugged. "I'm not entirely sure, honestly. Really, the only ones who were trying to pry are Johan, Yubel, and Sho. Jim and O'Brien are trying to stop them, and I'm not sure why Manjoume and I are here." She looked at Manjoume, hoping he could tell them why he was here.

Manjoume shrugged. "I don't know. I didn't feel like going home yet?"

Misawa sighed. "Well, the prince is going to be a little busy for awhile. There's an...issue he has to deal with."

"'Issue'?" Yubel asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. I'm afraid I can't tell you more...classified."

Johan and Yubel groaned. "No, that can't be. Not now," Yubel muttered.

"With the way Judai's luck's been going lately," Johan said, "it probably is."

"Is what?" Manjoume asked.

* * *

While the gang was talking to Misawa, Judai went to speak with his father. He found him in the study.

"Father," Judai said, walking over. "Some guy named Misawa had a message for you."

As Judai delivered the message, he could see that it was taking effort for his father to keep his expression neutral. When he had finished transferring the message, his father closed his eyes.

"So, the Light of Destruction is threatening the kingdom," he said.

Judai nodded. "Sounds like. Guess this is where that 'Righteous Power of Darkness' comes in, then?"

"It seems so." His father sighed. "I had hoped that this wouldn't happen until you were older. This will be a dangerous battle, my son."

"Don't worry, father," Judai said. "I'll be ready when the light comes."

"I hope so, Judai. I hope so."

**Review please! Reviews make the world go round, and they make authors update faster, and with better chapters! Maybe longer ones, too! (hint, hint) ;)**


	24. Chapter 23

**Alright, here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

A boy with shoulder-length, gray hair knocked on the door to his adoptive brother's room.

"Enter," a voice answered from inside the room.

The boy opened the door and stepped inside. "Saiou, we need to talk," he said to his brother.

"Ah, Ed," Saiou said. He was dressed in a white cloak, with a hood that hid him almost completely from view.

The boy, Ed, looked around the room in awe. _Everything_ was white: the bedspread, the carpet, the walls... The only color visible in the room was Saiou's purple eyes. Well, that, and Ed's blue eyes; after walking in here, he was thinking that maybe he should change out of that white outfit he was wearing—all this white was making him feel like he had just walked into another world or something.

"Saiou, what have you been doing?" Ed said, still staring around the room in awe. "Why is everything white?"

"Everything is not white, yet, Ed," Saiou said. "But, soon, this world shall be bathed in light!"

Ed started, turning to Saiou. "What do you mean, 'bathed in light'?"

"You'll see, my dear Ed. You'll see."

Ed was getting a bit uneasy. Saiou seemed off—that was exactly what Ed had wanted to talk about, but now he thought it might be smarter to get out of here.

"The time has come for the light of truth to illuminate this dark and desolate world! Ed, would you like to receive the baptism of the light?"

Ed didn't even have to think about his answer—he, like all in Neo Space, knew that there was a dangerous light that would one day threaten the kingdom. What he hadn't expected was for Saiou to be the one to bring this light to their world.

_This must be what he meant back then_, Ed thought, remembering a prediction Saiou had made about his future. It was back when Ed was only five; his father had just died, and Saiou's parents had taken him in, even though they already had two children of their own.

**Ed sat nervously at the table with his new brother, Saiou. Their sister, Mizuchi, was there as well, watching. Saiou had told Ed that he wanted to show him something, but Ed didn't know what he planned to show him with a deck of tarot cards.**

"**Ed, have you ever had your fortune told before?" Saiou asked.**

"**N-no," the young boy said, slightly nervous. What was Saiou going to do? Did Ed really want to know?**

**Saiou smiled and said, "Well, you're in for a real treat, then." He drew the first card from the deck and looked at it in horror.**

"**Big brother?" Mizuchi asked, worried.**

"**Ed..." Saiou was as pale as a ghost. "One day, you'll be offered power by someone close to you. Don't take it! As soon as this happens, leave and find the dark one. You'll need each other's help if you're going to save what matters the most to both of you."**

Ed hadn't understood the prophecy at the time, and he certainly hadn't understood Saiou's terrified reaction. Saiou never showed him the card he had drawn; he simply shuffled it back into the deck and decided they should do something else. But, now, it was starting to make sense. The Light of Destruction had chosen Saiou as its host for some reason, and Ed had to save him. _But who's the "dark one" that I'm supposed to find?_

Backing toward the door, Ed said, "Thanks, Saiou, but no. I don't want anything to do with your 'light of truth'!"

Before Saiou could respond, Ed turned and ran. He hated to leave Saiou like that, but Saiou's prophecies had yet to be wrong. If Saiou said he had to leave and find someone who could help, then there was no other choice!

_I'm sorry, Saiou. But I'll be back! I promise!_

* * *

Judai was lying on the roof of the castle, his eyes closed, just enjoying the solitude; it was easy to get some time alone when you went to the only place that no one in their right mind wanted to go to.

"Judai?" he heard Johan's voice just above him. Opening his eyes, he saw Johan and Yubel standing over him.

Smirking, slightly irritated, Judai thought, _Then again, my friends aren't _in _their right minds._

Judai sat up. "What do you want, guys?" he asked without looking at them. "I told you, I want to be alone."

"We know what you said," Yubel responded. "But we don't care. When I wanted to be alone, you followed me around like a duckling, Judai."

Judai smiled at the memory; after Yubel's dad had died, she wanted to be alone. But Judai didn't want his friend to be alone in her misery, so he followed her everywhere. She snapped when she woke up with him in her bed—they were only six at the time.

_These days, she'd probably steal my virginity if I tried that._

"So you're going to do the same thing, huh?"

"Yes! And, like you, I'm not stopping until you either cheer up or talk to us about whatever it is that's bothering you."

"The same goes for me, Judai," Johan said. "We're your friends, and we want to help. But we can't do that if you won't let us."

Judai sighed; he was worrying his friends, which he hated, but he didn't want to talk about it—he didn't even know what "it" was. He stared out across the kingdom.

"Guys, I appreciate it, but you're wasting your time," he said.

"You're our friend, Judai," Johan said. "You're never a waste of time."

Judai smiled at them. "Thanks, guys. But, really, I'm—"

"Don't finish that," Yubel said. "It's obviously a lie, and I'm getting tired of you lying like that."

With a sigh, Judai said, "You know me well, don't you?" Then, before she could answer, he added, "You know, you and Johan have been spending an awful lot of time together lately. What, you like him more than you though you would?"

Yubel blushed. "No! He just happens to be one of your best friends, that's all! Sheesh, Judai!"

Judai laughed at her reaction. "Just kidding, Yubel."

Johan looked disappointed, though. Judai got the sneaking suspicion that his best friend was in love. _Well, that's awkward... Since Yubel likes me and all._

"Anyway, Judai, you've got everyone worried," Yubel said.

Judai closed his eyes. "Really? Then why are you the only two up here?"

"Because most of them decided to give you your space," Johan answered. "And Sho doesn't know where you are right now."

"Are you telling me Sho's running around looking for me?" Judai asked.

Johan and Yubel nodded.

With a sigh, Judai said, "Look, guys, I can't tell you what's bothering me because I don't really know myself."

"What do you mean?" Johan asked.

"I mean, I can't remember what happened in Darkness's world."

"Then what's the problem?" Yubel asked. "If you can't remember, you should be fine! I mean, Fubuki's back to his idiotic self."

"Yeah, I know," Judai said. "I just...I don't know, okay?"

Johan looked at him knowingly. "There's something you aren't telling us, isn't there? Something that you _do _remember."

"It's nothing im—"

Yubel gripped him by the front of his shirt. "Tell us or I'm throwing you off this roof!" she demanded.

Judai's eyes widened. Johan stared, stunned.

"Y-Yubel... You're threatening the prince..."

"I don't care, Andersen!" she said. "I want answers, and I want them now! Well, Yuki!?"

Judai laughed nervously. "You're using my last name... I _must_ be in trouble. Okay, fine, I'll tell you. Just let go first, okay?"

Yubel let go, but she still looked like she might do something drastic if he tried to avoid the subject again.

Judai sighed. "Pain."

"What?" Neither one of them understood that one-word answer.

"That's all I remember from Darkness's world. Happy now?" Without waiting for an answer, he walked off. "I'm going to go find Sho."

Yubel and Johan looked at each other. "Pain?" Johan said questioningly.

Yubel shook her head. "I don't know. But that has to be it, right? Why he's acting so strange?"

* * *

Manjoume was heading home; he had given up the Judai hunt that he hadn't even meant to join in the first place.

_Honestly, I've got better things to do than look for that idiot if he _wants_ to be missing!_

"Excuse me," a voice said from behind him. Manjoume turned to see a boy with gray hair and blue eyes. "You wouldn't know where I can find someone who can fight the Light of Destruction, would you?"

Manjoume's eyes widened. "Wait, what!?"

_Is _that_ what those two meant!?_

"The Light of Destruction. I hear there's someone with a dark power who can fight it. You wouldn't know where I can find this someone, would you?"

Manjoume thought about it for a minute—this boy was wearing white. Should he trust him, or was the kid a Light Warrior? "Who wants to know?"

"Ed Phoenix. My brother has been taken over by the light. At least, I think that's what's going on. He keeps saying the world will be 'bathed in light,' and he asked me if I wanted the 'baptism of the light,'" the boy answered.

"Your brother?" Manjoume asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ed nodded. "Yes. He's been acting strange lately. So, can you help me or not?"

Manjoume narrowed his eyes. "Well, would you be willing to change your clothes for something a little less...white?" If he would, then he wasn't a Light Warrior. "I mean, there's a chance that no one will trust you if you come over talking about the Light of Destruction and you're wearing white."

"Understood," Ed said, nodding. "Got anything else? I left home in kind of a hurry."

Manjoume, feeling that it was safe to trust this kid, said, "Alright, come with me. The name's Manjoume, by the way."

Manjoume took the boy named Ed back to his home and loaned him some clothes.

* * *

"Do you have anything that _isn't_ black?" Ed asked incredulously. "I mean, seriously!"

_Is _he _the "dark one" Saiou mentioned? I mean, with all this black, it would make sense._

"No. Got a problem with it?"

"Uh, no. No, I don't." If this _was_ the guy he needed, then he didn't want to offend him. After all, he wanted his help.

"Great. Get changed, and I'll take you to see the one with the power to help you." Manjoume mumbled something, but Ed couldn't quite make it out. Something about finding something?

_Whatever. It's none of my business._ He picked out a black shirt, figuring that was good enough, and traded it for his white one.

* * *

"Sho!" Judai called. "Sho, where are you?"

"Aniki!" Sho ran over and pounced him in a hug. "Where were you?"

Judai stumbled a bit at Sho's attack. "I wanted to be alone. Where do you think I was?"

"Aniki, what's wrong? Please! Tell me!"

With a sigh, Judai said, "I don't know, Sho. Okay? I don't know."

Sho pulled back and looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what happened in Darkness's world is a blur. I can't remember, and I don't know what's wrong with me. Okay?" He didn't really want to tell these guys, but he figured he had to if he was ever going to get them to leave him alone; Sho would probably run around the castle searching for him until the day he died otherwise, and Johan and Yubel knew all of his secret places like the backs of their hands.

"Aniki..." Sho was on the verge of tears.

"There you are, you idiot!" Judai and Sho turned to see Manjoume coming over with a boy in white pants and a black shirt. "I've been looking for you!"

Judai sighed. "And here I thought it was just Sho. What do you want, Manjoume?"

"It's not what I want. It's what he wants." Manjoume hitched a thumb over his shoulder at the boy. "This is Ed Phoenix. He's got an interesting little story for you, Judai."

Ed's eyes widened. "Wait a minute, _Prince_ Judai?" he asked, looking at Manjoume. "_That's _who you were taking me to see?"

"Who else? He's the only one with the power you're looking for."

"Power?" Judai asked, raising an eyebrow. "Manjoume, are you trying to get me killed?"

"No!"

"I'm no threat to you, prince," Ed said. "I'm just looking for someone who can help my brother, Saiou."

Judai looked at him. "Well, as prince, that's my job. What's wrong with your brother?"

"I think he's possessed by evil," Ed said.

Judai closed his eyes. "Your brother's the Light of Destruction's host, isn't he?"

"How did you know?"

"I was expecting an attack from the light any day now," Judai answered. "I just wasn't expecting to get a warning first."

"Well, that's exactly what I think is going on. He said the world with be bathed in light and offered me the 'baptism of the light.'"

"Yep, that's the Light of Destruction, alright."

"Well, do you have any idea what to do about it?" Ed asked.

Judai shrugged. "Wait until he comes to me? What, you expecting some brilliant plan or something? Nah, that's not me. If you're looking for some elaborate plan to save your brother from the influence of the light, you've come to the wrong place."

Ed looked ready to punch him. "So you're just going to let the Light of Destruction do what it wants?"

"No, of course not. But I'm not charging out and dealing with you brother right now, pretending that I know what I'm doing. I'm sixteen, Ed. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm still trying to figure out the mystery of the teenage girl, let alone figure out how to save someone's life!" Judai shook his head. "Don't ask me. I don't know. I'm sorry about your brother, but there's nothing I can do about it right now." With that established, Judai walked off.

Ed stood there for a moment. "Well, that was real helpful."

"Don't mind him," Sho said with a sigh. "He's dealing with some personal issues right now. He's not usually like that."

Ed sighed; if Manjoume was right about this prince having the power of the Darkness of Creation, then this was the guy Saiou had mentioned in that prophecy. But he didn't seem to have any interest in helping...

_What do I have to do to convince him to help?_ Ed wondered.

**Review please!**


	25. Chapter 24

**This was actually ready on...Sunday? I don't really know, I was watching horror movies at the time (because I'm crazy...yeah, say it, sis). Anyway, here it is! It's pretty short, but so's my attention span lately! The next chapter should be longer, and probably more exciting, too. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Kenta had informed his generals of the impending threat; if worst came to worst, he wanted to be ready. He didn't think that the battle with the light would be bloody, but, if it were, he would at least be ready for it.

* * *

"Oh, come on!" Ed said. "At least _pretend_ that you care!"

He was talking to the prince—after Judai had left after his initial plea for assistance, Ed had decided to follow and try to convince him that they needed to work together.

"Ed, is it?" Judai said, stopping and turning to the boy. "You really should get your facts straight before you open your mouth. I care, really. I just don't know how to help you, that's all."

"But you have the power of the Darkness of Creation!" Ed protested. "You _must_ have some idea how to defeat the light!"

"So, having a certain power means that you know how to use it?" Judai laughed shortly. "Please. Fall into a pit of radioactive chemicals and gain superpowers. Then come back to me and show me how you automatically know how to use them."

Ed groaned. _Why am I wasting my time on this guy? I should be helping Saiou!_

"Well, if you won't help me, I'll deal with it myself." Ed turned to leave, but Judai stopped him with two words.

"You can't."

Turning, Ed asked, "I can't what?"

"You can't handle this on your own. Go back to your brother now, and he'll either kill you or turn you into a Light Drone. Those are the only options you have, Ed, because you can't defeat the light."

"Well, _you_ won't!" Ed retorted. "Somebody has to save _your_ kingdom!"

"Yeah," Judai answered. "And he will. Just as soon as he figures out how. Ed, you don't seem to realize; I don't have a plan. If I charge out to stop your brother right now, I'll probably just get myself killed or something. Is that going to help anyone?"

Ed sighed—he had a point. "So, you're serious about not having a plan?"

"Sure am," Judai said with a nod. "And it's hard to come up with one when nobody will leave you alone and give you the chance to come up with one."

"Planning is, traditionally, something better done in groups." Both boys turned at these words. Misawa was standing there, wearing khaki pants and a green shirt—no lab coat.

"Well, did anyone ask you?" Judai said, sounding slightly irritated.

Misawa walked over and said, "Actually, yes. Your father, the Supreme King, asked me."

Judai groaned. "So, what, you're supposed to help me defeat the Light of Destruction?"

"Exactly. So, the first thing we need to know is through whom the light is acting."

"My brother, Takuma Saiou," Ed answered. "He's been talking about bathing the world in light, so I'm guessing that's your man."

Misawa looked at Ed, slightly stunned. "And who are you?" he asked.

"Misawa, meet Ed Phoenix, my newest pain in the ass. Ed, this is Misawa, who just joined your ranks on my father's orders." Judai sounded pretty ticked off. Misawa got the feeling that he shouldn't have told him that he was supposed to be helping him when he did.

"Ah, pleasure to meet you...?" Misawa said hesitantly, reaching out to shake Ed's hand.

Ed took Misawa's hand, giving him a firm handshake. "The pleasure's all mine," he said, giving Judai a look that said, quite clearly, that he wasn't afraid of him.

Judai rolled his eyes. "Well, anyone else who should get involved in this?" he asked.

"Yeah, us," Yubel said.

Turning, Judai saw not only Yubel, but all of his friends coming over. "You're going to need all the help you can get, Judai," Johan said.

"Right, and O'Brien has some experience with warfare and such, so he should be pretty handy to have around," Jim said, smiling.

Judai looked at them for a moment. Finally, he said, "Just to clarify, you guys aren't doing this because my dad told you to, are you?"

They shook their heads.

"Do any of you have any Light Warrior friends or relatives I should know about?"

Again, they shook their heads, looking extremely confused by this point.

Judai closed his eyes, smiling. "Then I guess I have no choice but to accept your help."

"You have no choice anyway, Judai," Asuka said, smiling back at him. "We're your friends, and we're not going to let you fight the light alone."

"How did you all find out about this anyway?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Manjoume stepped forward. "I told them," he said. "Got a problem with it?"

Grinning, Judai said, "Nah, I don't have a problem with it. Though you guys have a knack for finding out my business."

Sho shrugged. "What can I say? We're all blabbermouths. We can't keep a secret if it endangers a friend."

"That's called being a good friend, Sho," Yubel said.

"Yeah," Johan added. "Being a blabbermouth is going around telling everyone every secret that you know about someone, like, say that incident in the girls' locker room!?" Yubel looked away, feigning innocence. Judai just laughed.

_Are these people seriously the only way I can save Saiou?_ Ed wondered. _They don't seem very reliable—making jokes at a time like this?_

Misawa cleared his throat. "If you're all quite through horsing around, let's come up with a plan to deal with the impending threat."

Yubel wrapped an arm around his shoulders and said, "You know, if you're going to start hanging out with us, you're going to have to develop a sense of humor."

Misawa, insulted, said, "I have a sense of humor! I just don't think this is the time to be cracking jokes!"

Everyone but Ed laughed at this. "What's so funny!?" Misawa demanded.

"Oh, he's not going to last one day with us, is he?" Judai asked Johan.

Shaking his head, Johan said, "Nope! He'll be running out screaming before dinner!"

"Fifty bucks says he won't last til noon," Manjoume said.

Misawa was red; whether it was because of anger or humiliation, even _he_ wasn't sure.

"Can we please get down to business!?" Ed asked. "Seriously?"

"Yeah, sure," Judai said, settling down. "Ed's right, guys. We should be focusing on the matter at hand. This is serious business."

The change in attitude was abrupt—and slightly startling. Suddenly, Judai was all business.

_That's more like it_, Ed thought. _That's how a prince _should _behave at a time like this!_


	26. Chapter 25

**Writer's block successfully overcome! Wasn't sure where I was going with this for a minute there...thanks, Shadgirl2, for helping me figure it out! Anyway, enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Okay, so, let's make sure we're all on the same page, first of all," Judai said to the group. They were all gathered in Judai's room, if only because Judai wanted to make sure they wouldn't be disturbed by anyone. "So, the Light of Destruction is gaining power, and it's using a man named Takuma Saiou to gather followers. Ed, you know more about Saiou than I do. Why don't you tell us anything you think might be useful in confronting him?"

Ed asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"You know, ways we can draw him to us, rather than going to him," Judai answered. "I want the home-field advantage, if I can get it! Strengths, weaknesses, what he's planning. If you know anyone else who can help us against him, that would be nice to know, too."

"He can predict the future, so anything you come up with, he'll see coming."

Judai smirked. "Yeah, see, that's where you're wrong. You see, I don't believe in fortune-telling. Destiny's not set in stone—you can change it depending on what you choose to do."

"But his predictions have never been wrong!"

"Okay, then tell me this: Who does he tell his predictions to, usually?"

Ed eyed Judai, not sure where he was going with this. "Mizuchi and myself."

"And how often has he predicted your future, Ed?"

"A few times. Why?"

"Have you ever considered going against it and seeing what happens? Or do you just do whatever Saiou tells you you're going to do?"

Ed thought about it; what Judai was asking was a good question. "I don't know. Why?"

"Because, Ed, there's this little thing called self-fulfilling prophecies, and they work like this: You have an idea in your mind about how something is going to go or how someone is going to behave. When you act, you act with that idea in mind. For instance, say you thought someone you met was untrustworthy. You'd be more cautious with that person, showing less trust, wouldn't you?"

"I guess," Ed said.

"Well, that person would, in response, act colder toward you because you're always acting like you don't trust them. They wouldn't be giving you any reason to trust them, and your idea that they can't be trusted would be reinforced. The problem with that is you don't know how the person would have acted if you hadn't been treating them like a criminal in the first place! You would have made your own prediction come true." Judai winked. "Get what I'm saying?"

Sho had swirls in his eyes—obviously he didn't get it. After a moment, Asuka said, "So, what you're saying is that, by telling Ed what's going to happen in his future..."

"Saiou made his predictions come true," Judai finished with a nod. "Ed acted with that prediction in mind, so of course things worked out the way Saiou said they would. He tells Ed what to do, and Ed does it, so the outcome is what he was told it would be."

Ed humphed. "Whatever. Let's move on." He still didn't believe that Saiou had faked all of his predictions, but he wasn't going to keep arguing with the prince—that wouldn't get them anywhere.

"What we really need to know is how we're going to lure him out," Manjoume said. "Is there anything the Light of Destruction would want?"

"Anything capable of destroying the world. Why, you got a destructive satellite in space we don't know about?" Judai teased.

"No, you idiot! Why would I!?"

Ed thought for a moment before saying, "Wait a minute! I overheard Saiou talking to someone the other day. Some of the things he said were a little odd..."

Johan raised an eyebrow. "Such as?"

"Well, they mentioned a satellite and world domination. I thought that it was a hypothetical discussion, but maybe I was wrong."

"Any idea who he was talking to?" Judai asked.

"Ojin, I think was his name."

"Ojin!?" Yubel asked. Judai looked equally stunned.

Jim looked from one to the other of them before asking, "Uh, I take it you know him?"

Judai nodded. "Yeah. Ojin is the prince of Misgarth, a far distant kingdom with a mixed history with Neo Space."

"Okay, Misgarth I've heard of," Fubuki said, drawing everyone's attention to the doorway, where he and Ryo were both standing.

"Who said you could come in?" Judai asked, looking mildly disgruntled. "This meeting is invitation only."

"Right. And we should have an invitation," Fubuki said, smiling like an idiot. Asuka sighed.

Ryo looked at Judai and said, "Judai, I'm sorry about what happened after our duel. If you'll accept it, Fubuki and I would like to help you in your battle."

Judai sighed. "Well, what can I say?" he said with a shrug. "Alright, you can help."

"Great!" Fubuki said, making himself comfortable on the floor. "So, Ojin, Misgarth, mixed history. Continue, please."

Sitting beside his friend, Ryo sighed in embarrassment.

"Well, as you've probably learned, there have been times throughout history when Misgarth has been our allies and our enemies. If there's one kingdom that I wouldn't be surprised to hear has a plan to conquer the world, it's Misgarth. A satellite and world domination..." Judai looked thoughtful. "Knowing my luck, it's that satellite that Manjoume _doesn't_ have that's capable of destroying the world."

O'Brien nodded. "That would explain why the Light of Destruction would want it."

"Yeah, it would. So, what, we call Misgarth and ask Ojin to disable his satellite?" Sho said.

Shaking his head, Judai said, "No. If Saiou and Ojin have been talking about world domination, Ojin's probably in league with Saiou, at least until he learns what's really going on here. Of course, by the time he figures it out, it'll probably be too late. And reasoning with him isn't going to work—he's apparently set on being my enemy."

"And here you two got along so well when you were kids," Yubel said sarcastically.

Judai blushed. "Let's not talk about that."

"Okay, so Saiou's planning to destroy the world using a satellite that's controlled by the kingdom of Misgarth, and he already has the crown prince on his side. The Light of Destruction is gaining power, according to Misawa, and we have nothing going for us right now. Did I miss anything?" Johan said.

"Yeah," Judai said, "you forgot that you've got a sixteen-year-old prince with no clue what he's doing, whose army is his friends."

"Ah, yes, of course."

Misawa was scribbling on a piece of paper. "I think there's something else you missed, Johan," he said.

Looking dejected, Johan said, "Really? What now?"

"I have a plan." He smiled at them.

Johan and Sho gaped at him. "Well, spit it out!" Yubel said.

"We need to get the controls for the satellite for this plan to work. Do you think that's manageable?" he asked Judai.

Judai thought for a moment. "Well, my father does have a couple of spies in Misgarth who've managed to infiltrate the castle. So, yeah, if I get in touch with them, it's manageable. Why?"

Misawa's smile widened. "I know how to lure Saiou to you. But it's going to be a very public occurrence."

"I don't want to cause a panic, Misawa," Judai said, crossing his arms. "Can we keep it low-scale?"

"I'm afraid not. But don't worry; it won't cause a panic. Quite the contrary, it will cause a celebration."

Ryo raised an eyebrow. "What is this plan of yours, exactly?"

"I'll explain it once we have the satellite controls. There's no point telling any of you right now—we need those controls first!"

Nodding, Judai said, "Alright, meeting adjourned. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some very important calls to make."

Walking out of the room, he pulled out his phone. He hated to do it, but he had to call _her_. She was the most qualified for this misison.

**Okay, sorry for the lack of action these past chapters! Don't worry, the action will be coming back soon enough! Any guesses who _she_ is? The Mystery Girl will be revealed next chapter! If you guess right, you get a cookie (hint, hint, review, hint, hint).**


	27. Chapter 26

**Well, here's the next chapter. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

The phone rang a few times before _she_ finally picked up. "Hello?" she said, her tone indicating that her caller ID was definitely working.

_Damn, I need to change my number. How did she get this one, anyway!?_

"Hey, I take it you know who this is, huh?" he asked.

"Of course, Jaden! Why wouldn't I? You're only—"

"You're undercover, remember?" he interrupted, mildly annoyed by the fact that his alias had almost been followed by revealing information. Or worse, the suggestion that they were dating. "Look, I've got a mission for you."

There was a moment of silence before she said, her voice all business, "What kind of mission?"

"Well, you might need to get your partner involved in it, but did you know that Misgarth has a satellite that they can use to conquer the world?"

"I had my suspicions. Tyranno mentioned something about it," she said.

Judai grinned at the code name; only _that_ guy would use something like _that_ as his code name. "Well, 'Maiden,' I know how good you are at getting what you want. I need you to get the controls for that satellite and bring them to me. Think you and 'Tyranno' can manage it?"

"I read you loud and clear, Dark Prince. Don't worry—I won't fail you."

"You'd better not. Otherwise the whole world will pay the price," he said seriously before hanging up. "Glad that's over with..."

With the plan to obtain the satellite controls underway, Judai decided there was nothing left to do but wait.

* * *

The young girl slipped her phone back into her pocket, steeling herself for what she had to do now. Judai's tone had indicated that this was serious, not something to play around with. _I'll have to tell Tyranno, then we'll have to come up with a plan quickly. This needs to be done as soon as possible!_

In Misgarth, it was still early—only 8 in the morning. She quickly dressed for the day, putting on her black and white maid outfit. She hated having to work as a maid, but she knew it was better than the alternative. Quickly, she ran a brush through her blue hair. Checking herself over in the mirror, she made a mental note to wear this outfit for her dear Judai—a maid's job may suck, but the outfit was actually pretty cute, and it complimented her brown eyes. The short, somewhat frilly skirt, the poofy sleeves, the bow in the back...

_If Judai can resist me in this, he just isn't a man,_ she thought. Then, she slapped herself mentally. _Don't think like that right now! You have to focus on the mission. If you mess this up, Judai will_ never_ go out with you!_

She had been trying to get Judai's attention since she was eight—although, granted, being four years younger than him probably didn't help her case. The youngest spy in history, Rei Saotome, had been stationed in Misgarth for a little over a year now, ever since they had first received word of a possible plan to take Neo Space. Only eleven at the time, Rei had been extremely proud to be accepted as a spy. She hadn't counted on the job being so difficult, though: she had to change her name, her personality, everything about her, just to keep from blowing her cover. She even had to change the names of the contacts in her phone, just in case she was careless and let someone else get their hands on it. And she hadn't seen home—her family, her friends, or Judai—since she was stationed here. But that was all about to end; her hard work would pay off. If Judai was sure they had a satellite that would be capable of conquering Neo Space, that was the whole reason she was here, so she could wrap this case up and go home.

"First things first, though," she muttered. "I have to find Tyranno and tell him what Jaden said." She headed out the door, aiming to harass her partner before he had even had the chance to wake up. After all, her shift didn't start for another hour; she had time.

* * *

Rei peeked into the room of her partner, wondering for the umpteenth time how he managed to contort himself so in the night. The muscular boy with dreadlocks lay in bed, snoring like the dinosaur that was the inspiration for his code name. His left leg was hanging over the edge of the bed, his right arm was above his head, left arm under his head, which was only a few inches from his right leg.

"How does he _sleep_ like that?" Rei muttered, walking toward the bed and raising the bucket she was carrying.

A douse of cold water woke Tyranno with a start. "What!? What's going on!?" he asked, looking around frantically. His eyes landed on Rei and he groaned. "Blair!" he said, using her alias. "What are you doing in here!? What time is it?"

"Oh, about eight o'clock," she said teasingly, resting a hand on her hip. "But I needed to talk to you, Hassleberry."

Hassleberry wasn't his real name—it was his alias. His real name was Kenzan. He always introduced himself as Tyranno Kenzan, so his code name probably wasn't the greatest cover in the world, but it wasn't his legal name, so it worked. Kenzan was only a few years older than Rei—fifteen to her twelve. But he had more experience than she did. His father had been a spy for the king as well, and he had taught Kenzan everything he knew. Kenzan got some practice when he was younger by spying on the prince and his friend, Yubel. This had led to rumors about the two dating, which Rei found absurd. However, the rest of the castle now believed it, which meant that they thought Judai would marry the girl, much to Rei's displeasure.

"What about, Blair?" he asked, still looking grumpy.

"Jaden called," she said.

Kenzan's eyes widened. "Jaden? You mean—?"

Rei nodded, walking around the room, checking for any hidden cameras or anything. She didn't want to be overheard. She didn't see any bugs, but it was better to be safe, just in case. "Word is, the fox is still killing the chickens. We need to get rid of that fox."

Kenzan nodded, understanding the coded message. "So, what's the fox been doing? I mean, we've locked the chicken coop, and they're still getting killed."

"It turns out, it dug its way in." She looked at Kenzan to make sure he understood what she was saying. "We need to _take away_ its access to the coop. If we don't let it get near, it can't get in."

Kenzan nodded. He understood: To the untrained ear, that conversation would have been meaningless—or confusing, as neither of these two had anything to do with chickens in the course of their daily lives. But anyone who had been trained as a spy in Neo Space would understand—Misgarth had a weapon, and they had to get the controls for that weapon.

"Okay?" Rei said, winking.

"Got it," Kenzan said. "Tonight, we stop that fox."

Rei nodded. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Hassleberry, I should get to work."

"Yeah, and I should clean up this mess you made in my room," Kenzan said, sounding mildly annoyed.

Rei smiled at him. "Well, if you'd wake up before the crack of noon and didn't sleep like a rock, I wouldn't have to resort to such drastic measures to wake you up." She walked out of the room, leaving a soaking wet Kenzan to clean up after her.

* * *

"There you are. I've been looking for you."

Judai opened his eyes, turning his attention to the girl who had spoken.

"Hey, Asuka. Funny, I could have sworn I wasn't aiming to be found today," he said, sitting up. He had been lying under a tree in the garden, just relaxing. "How'd you find me?"

Asuka sat down beside him. "Yubel said you spend a lot of time just lying around in shady areas or fields. Since there aren't any fields on castle grounds, I figured you'd be in the garden."

Laughing a bit, Judai said, "Wait a minute, Yubel told you this? Why? I thought she hated you."

"We've reached an understanding. Besides, she's been spending a great deal of time with Johan." Smiling, Asuka said, "I think she's falling for him, even though she swears she's just giving you your space."

Leaning his head back, Judai said, "The rest of you would do well to follow her example."

"Come on, Judai," Asuka said, sounding a little hurt. "I know that you went through something horrible in that place, but you can't keep running from us forever! How long are you planning to avoid us?"

"Until you guys actually give me some alone time," Judai lied—he didn't know how long he was going to do this.

"The truth, Judai."

He stared at her, dumbfounded. "Okay, how do you know I'm not telling the truth?"

"I can spot a lie, Judai. My brother gave me plenty of practice."

Judai raised an eyebrow. "Do I even want to know?" he asked.

Shaking her head, Asuka said, "No, probably not. But, Judai, my point is, I want to help you. I can't do that, though, if you won't let me."

"Really?" Judai said, sounding skeptical. "And why, may I ask, do you care so much? We've only known each other for a few months."

"And I've really grown to like and care for you in those months," Asuka said. "You're a good friend, Judai. I was hoping that you felt the same way about me."

There was more that she wanted to say, but she didn't. She couldn't bring herself to tell him. Not yet, at least.

Judai answered without hesitation. "Of course I do, Asuka. You know I do."

"Really? Then why are you avoiding me? I think I have the right to know."

Judai looked away, sighing. "You're right. You do have the right to know. But I can't tell you because...I don't really know myself." He laughed shortly. "I'm surprised, honestly, that Yubel and Johan didn't tell you this already. Or Sho."

"Well, honestly, they told me that you didn't know what was wrong with you, but they didn't say anything about why you wanted to be alone."

"Ah." Judai closed his eyes, smirking slightly. "That's more like it. Of course, they do sort of go hand in hand, as you've just learned."

"Judai," Asuka said, wanting to be perfectly clear on this point—it was the reason she had sought him out, after all. "If you ever need someone to talk to—about anything, anything at all—I want you to know that I'm here for you."

Judai looked into her eyes, seeing the sincerity there. "Thank you, Asuka. I'll keep that in mind." Then, completely on impulse, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek.

Asuka blushed, frozen. He only kissed her cheek, and only for a moment, but she couldn't help but be a little embarrassed.

When he pulled back, he was smiling at her. "Well, the fact that I didn't get slapped for that gives me some hope. Trust me, Asuka, when I say you'll be the first one I turn to when I need someone to talk to."

He rose, walking out of the garden, leaving a stunned Asuka behind. Slowly, she raised her hand to her cheek.

_Why did he kiss me like that?_ she wondered. _And what did he mean, not slapping him gives him hope? Hope for what?_


	28. Chapter 27

**Yeah! New chapter! Alright! I don't own Yugioh GX. Also, my other story will probably be updated sometime tomorrow, if I'm lucky.**

"Hassleberry! Where were you!? You were supposed to relieve me an hour ago!" the disgruntled guard bellowed at his coworker.

Kenzan—also known as Hassleberry—rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry about that. Got a little held up with Blair."

The other guard rolled his eyes. "You and your girlfriend," he muttered.

"Say what!? Blair's not my girlfriend!" Kenzan said, blushing.

"Sure she isn't, Hassleberry. Sure she isn't." Walking off, he said, "Anyway, your shift. Don't fall asleep on the job!"

"I'm not you!" Kenzan retorted teasingly. The other guard just waved it off, making Kenzan chuckle.

He waited a moment before pulling out his communicator. "Maiden, it's Tyranno. Do you read me? Over."

"Maiden, here. You're coming in loud and clear, Tyranno," Rei's voice answered. "How's it looking?"

"No one but me here, Maiden. Course, the vault will have much more security."

"Well, you know how to deal with that, Tyranno," Rei said confidently. "Don't worry; I'll be nearby to run interference if necessary."

"Copy that, Maiden. Get into position. I'll be there shortly. Over and out."

Their plan was simple: make their way to the vault, with Kenzan using his status as a guard to gain access. Rei would be nearby if they needed a diversion and for Kenzan to pass it off to. After all, he would be the one they'd come after if they noticed the controls missing before the two could make their escape. Besides, Rei was too "innocent" to ever do anything against the throne.

Kenzan made his way to the vault. He was running, pretending that there was something seriously wrong. "Intruders!" he yelled. "We've got intruders!"

Immediately, the guards on either side of the vault ran off to apprehend these imaginary intruders. Kenzan contacted Rei again, checking to see if she had done her job. "Maiden, how's it going?"

"Patience is a virtue, Tyranno! I'm no techno-wizard," she said, sounding slightly disgruntled.

"Well, hurry it up! It's only a matter of time before someone catches on!"

"Got it! The security inside should be disabled. You're good to go, Tyranno."

"Copy that, Maiden. Over and out." Putting away his communicator, Kenzan turned his attention to the vault.

Opening it wouldn't be easy. At least, for anyone who _didn't _know the combination. Kenzan was fortunate enough to have formed a rather close bond with Prince Ojin in the time he had been stationed in Misgarth. Well, he had planned it, actually. He almost felt guilty breaking the prince's trust in such a way, but his loyalties were with the kingdom of Neo Space.

_Sorry, Ojin,_ Kenzan thought as he entered the code to open the vault. _Let this be a lesson to you—never place your trust in a guy you've only known for a year._

When he had the vault open, he walked in and grabbed a briefcase that lay inside, popping it open to check the contents; it was definitely some sort of control—all the flashing lights and such told him as much.

"Well, if this isn't the satellite controls, I'm screwed," he muttered.

"Are you still here!?" Rei's voice hissed from the doorway behind him.

Kenzan jumped about a foot in the air, tossing the briefcase, which Rei caught easily. "D-don't sneak up on me like that!"

Rei rolled her eyes, closing the briefcase and slipping it into her travel bag. "You're so jumpy, Tyranno."

Kenzan eyed the bag. "Oh, yeah, that's not at all suspicious!" he said. After all, the only way she could be more conspicuous would be to walk around carrying the briefcase where everyone could see it.

"Actually, it's not. You see, there's some trouble in the Flannigan family, so little Blair—that's me—has to go home to visit her sick mother. The king has already approved the trip." She slung her bag over her shoulder. "And, he said I could leave as soon as I was ready, so I'm leaving now."

Kenzan blinked at her. He hadn't expected her to be pulling out so quickly. "Hey, I thought we were leaving together!" he protested.

"We are. You're just going to have to come up with your own reason for abandoning your post." She turned to leave. "So long, Hassleberry!" she called as she ran off.

It took Kenzan a moment to realize that he was going to get caught if he didn't get out of there. He hurried out of the vault, closing it before wiping his fingerprints off and making a break for it. He had to get out of Misgarth before sunrise, or else he'd be in serious trouble.

* * *

"I can't see what's so important that you had to drag me out here in the dead of night, Johan," Judai said, rubbing his eyes. Johan had barged into his room around midnight, shaking him from his dreams and saying he had to come with him. The blunette had yet to reveal the reason for this late night stroll.

"You'll see, Judai," Johan answered. His tone indicated that he was smiling, which made Judai wonder what insane scheme his best friend had cooked up.

He led Judai to the beach near the castle. "Okay, stay right here, and you'll see why I dragged you out here," Johan said.

Judai raised an eyebrow, asking, "What, you're not staying?"

"No way!" Johan said, laughing a little. "I wouldn't want to impose..." He took a couple steps backward, then said, "Blame Fubuki. He put me up to it." Then he turned on his heel and ran.

"What the heck does_ that_ mean...?"

No sooner had he asked than his answer appeared. "Uh, hi, Judai," Asuka said from behind him.

Judai turned and was struck speechless. Asuka was wearing a strapless blue dress with a sweetheart neckline. The fabric was gathered at the waist before flowing down to her knees. Her hair had been arranged in an elegant French braid. A pair of white, open-toed heels completed the look.

Recovering, Judai asked, "What exactly is your brother doing, Asuka?"

"I was hoping you could tell me," she said, walking over to stand beside him. "Fubuki ambushed me when I came out of the shower tonight. His girlfriend Mac seems to be in on it—she's the one who gave me the dress and did my hair." Eying Judai, who looked like he'd been dragged straight out of bed, she said, "I guess you got lucky."

Judai laughed shortly. "Yeah, as if anyone can force me to do anything." Judai didn't have a shirt on—he hadn't seen the point of putting one on to go on Johan's little adventure. "Course, if I'd known you were going to be here, all dressed up with nowhere to go, I might have made a little more effort," he said, smirking a bit.

Asuka smiled at him. "It doesn't really matter. Fubuki's just having a little fun. Besides, we're alone on an uninhabited beach in the middle of the night. Why dress up?"

"Any idea what we're supposed to be doing?" Judai asked.

Asuka shook her head. "Not a one. Should we just go home, then?"

He pretended to think about it. "Actually, since you came all this way, why don't we take a little walk?" Pointing at her shoes, he said, "You might want to take those off, though. Sandy beach, open-toed heels... Not the best combination."

Laughing, she took off her shoes. "So, we're going for a walk on the beach? In the middle of the night?"

Judai shrugged. "Why not? We're both here, so we might as well do something. And I highly doubt you want to go for a swim?" He looked at her teasingly.

Asuka grabbed a handful of sand and threw it at him. "Not on your life."

He just laughed.

* * *

"So, when you take the throne, do you know...who your queen will be?" Asuka asked as they walked along the beach. The conversation had gone from idiot Fubuki to his girlfriend Mac to this.

Judai was silent for a moment, picking up a starfish lying in the sand and throwing it into the ocean. "I have an idea. That is, if I can work up the courage to say anything to the girl."

Asuka blinked. "Wait," she said, "I thought that your dad would have chosen your bride."

"Nah. Dad was never a fan of arranged marriages. Those went out the window when he managed to convince his dad to give him a choice. Of course, it wasn't easy. He ran away with my mom when he was fifteen." Judai grinned. "Guess that's why I can't stand staying in the castle, huh?"

Laughing, Asuka said, "Yeah, that makes sense." On a more serious note, she said, "So, you said you have an idea who she's going to be... Does that mean you have a girlfriend?"

"I have several girl friends, but no steady girlfriend," he answered cryptically.

Asuka cocked her head. "So, is it anyone I know?"

Silence. Then, "Yes." He threw another starfish back to the ocean as he added, "You're welcome to guess who it is. I may tell you if you get it right."

"Well, I only know one other girl that you know," she said. "Yubel."

Judai closed his eyes. "Why does everyone assume I'm in love with Yubel?" he muttered. "No, she's my friend, sort of like a sister. She's definitely _not_ my choice for a bride."

"Then...?" There was only one other girl that both of them knew, and she was on the beach with him right now.

Judai was about to speak when a voice rang out, "Judai-sama!"

* * *

Rei was close, she knew it. She hadn't been back in a long time, but she knew that the castle was near the beach, so she couldn't be too far. She was so excited—in only a few hours or so, she would be able to see her dear Judai, and her parents and friends, of course. Martin would be glad to see her, of course.

As she walked along, she saw a couple walking on the beach. Smiling, she decided not to interrupt by getting too close.That's when something about the man caught her eye—two-tone brown hair. _Wait a minute, that's _my_ Judai!_

This was an outrage! She went away for a year—to prove that she was worthy of his love—and he fell for another woman!? No, she wasn't going to let that slide.

"Judai-sama!" she called, drawing their attention. Was it her imagination, or did Judai go a bit pale when she called his name?

"Hey!" he called. "Rei! Shouldn't you be reporting to—?"

"Mission accomplished, Judai-sama!" she said, walking over and pulling the briefcase out of her bag. "I retrieved the satellite controls."

"Great. Now go report to your superior or something." He seemed to be in a hurry to get rid of her.

"But, Judai-sama, you_ are_ my superior!" she said. "Besides, I haven't seen you in sooo long!" She went to hug him, but he sidestepped.

"I meant your boss. That's not me, now is it?" he said, sounding testy.

Rei looked ready to cry. "It's because of _her_, isn't it!?" she asked, pointing at his blond companion. "Who is she!? Where did she come from!? Why would you leave me for _her_!?"

"Wait, what? I thought you didn't have a girlfriend!"

"I don't, Asuka! This is Rei. She—"

"Has been dating Judai-sama for two years!" Rei interrupted. "So get away from my man!"

The woman whose name was apparently Asuka looked at Judai. "I should have known. What, were you planning to make me into your concubine? I'm _nobody's _mistress!"

"No, Asuka, I'm telling you, she's crazy!" Judai protested.

"That's some way to talk about your _girlfriend_," Asuka said, turning on her heel and storming away.

"Asuka!" Judai turned and glared at Rei. "Kid, you might want to run along home before I get angry."

Rei pulled back, startled. Judai was acting off. Normally, he wasn't the type to anger easily; he would just run after the girls she chased off and try—usually in vain—to convince them that she was lying (which Rei didn't think she was doing—Judai was as good as hers anyway). But tonight, he looked ready to throttle her.

"Judai-sama...?"

"Get lost, Saotome!" he bellowed, pointing toward the castle. "Go do your job, you sorry excuse for a spy!"

Rei ran off in tears. _Why is he being so mean? _she wondered. _It's like he's a different person!_

* * *

Judai sighed; he knew he'd regret being so hard on Rei later, but he couldn't help it. She had just driven away the first girl he had ever actually loved, and he doubted he would ever be able to convince her that Rei wasn't his girlfriend. Driving off girls he made friends with seemed to be a hobby of that girl's, which is why Judai had enjoyed this past year without her so much. Not that he didn't like Rei...when she _wasn't_ claiming to be his girlfriend. She was fun to be around...as long as she didn't claim they were on a date every time. He considered her a friend...even though she often _cost_ him friends.

_Dang it, two for one,_ he thought bitterly. _I ticked one girl off and made another one cry, all in one fell swoop. What am I going to do about this?_

* * *

Asuka was fuming on the outside, but inside she was fighting back the tears. Judai had lied to her face! She thought that she might actually have a chance with the prince of Neo Space, that he was in love with her! But he was a player, apparently. He had kissed her earlier and said she knew the girl he loved, denying it was Yubel and leading her to believe that, maybe, he considered her more than a friend. But he had a _girlfriend_.

"Rei, huh?" Asuka muttered. "Wonder why I've never heard of _her_ before."

"**She's crazy!" Judai protested.**

Asuka shook those thoughts away—he had been playing her, and she needed to remember that. "Whatever. It doesn't matter anyway. He can do what he wants, but he's not fooling _me_ into joining his harem," she said spitefully.


	29. Chapter 28

**I know, I know, I was mean to Rei last chapter. But I'm gonna make it up to her! Really! Well, sort of. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Hey, Rei! I didn't know you were back!" Johan called, heading over to the girl he hadn't seen in over a year.

Rei didn't look at him, which is how he knew something was wrong. "Hi, Johan," she said, her back to him. "Sorry, I don't have time to talk."

"What's wrong, Rei?" He grabbed her shoulder and turned her to face him. Her eyes were red. "You've been crying. Come on, talk to me."

A moment's hesitation followed before Rei asked, "What's wrong with Judai-sama?"

Johan raised an eyebrow. "You're going to have to be more specific, Rei. What do you mean?"

"He yelled at me last night!" she cried. "He-he told me to get lost!"

Johan closed his eyes, steeling himself to ask what he knew he would regret later. "You didn't happen to drive off some girl he was with, did you?"

"Well, maybe, but he's never acted like this before! What's so special about this girl!?"

Johan knelt down in front of her, putting his hands on her shoulders. "Rei," he said, "Judai's been through a lot this past year, and he's not...feeling like himself lately. He's been a little out of character recently, and I'm sure he didn't mean to—"

"Why don't you let me speak for myself, Johan?" Judai asked.

Looking up, Johan saw Judai standing right behind Rei. "Uh, hey, Judai!"

Judai looked about as happy as Rei did. "Johan, you wanna give me a minute with Rei?" he asked.

"Yeah, of course!" Johan said, stepping away from the girl.

Rei looked a little scared, as though she were expecting Judai to beat her up or something. Then again, with the way Judai acted sometimes these days, Johan wouldn't put it past him.

Judai's expression softened as he looked at Rei. "Hey. Take a walk with me?" He turned halfway around, looking at her expectantly. After a moment, she walked off with him.

Johan watched them walk away, muttering, "Wonder what Rei did this time...?"

* * *

"Look, Rei," Judai said. "I'm sorry I was so harsh last night... I didn't mean anything I said, okay?"

Rei looked at him, her eyes bright with unshed tears. "Then why did you say it?" she asked.

Judai was silent for a moment, thinking of how to answer that question. Finally, he said, "Rei, I do like you...as a friend. As far as girlfriend goes, I think there's someone else out there who's got his eyes on you." He was thinking of a friend of her's who was actually closer in age. Looking her in the eye, he continued, "I'm sorry, but I just don't feel the same way about you that you do about me."

Rei looked down. "So...that girl you were with last night...she's your girlfriend?"

Judai grimaced. "After last night, I wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't even my friend anymore. You kinda have a habit of making me sound like a player, you know?" He grinned at her.

Smiling a little, Rei said, "Well, I thought I was your girlfriend. Can you blame me? I mean, _I_ was starting to think you _were _a player!"

Laughing, Judai said, "So, is that because I kissed you when I was twelve? I mean, that _is_ about the time you started all of this."

"Well, yeah. I thought you liked me or something. Why else would you kiss me?"

"Because Johan dared me to," Judai said, his tone apologetic. "I still thought girls had cooties when I was twelve, and Johan wanted to show me that they didn't."

Rei stared at him for a moment. "So, wait a minute, Johan _dared_ you to kiss me, and that's the only reason you did?" She shook her head, looking angry. "When I get my hands on Andersen..."

"Hey, take it easy, Rei," Judai said, grinning again. "I already got him for you."

"No, you got him for _you_," she said. "I need to get him back myself."

Judai laughed, feeling somewhat sorry for Johan. "Well, I'm sorry I led you on like that, Rei. Really, I never meant to hurt you, and I really didn't mean anything I said last night. Especially since your feelings for me and your thoughts about us being a couple are my fault."

Rei smirked mischievously. "Well, I think you owe me, Judai-sama. So, how about taking me out to dinner to make it up to me?"

"Rei, if you're suggesting that I lead you on some more, you're a glutton for punishment," Judai answered, crossing his arms behind his head. "I'll take you to dinner, but it's not a date. Got it?"

"Got it, Judai-sama!" she said happily. "So, when are you picking me up?"

"Not today, Rei. Next week." Silently, he added, _After all, I should have calmed down by then... If Asuka doesn't listen to me, Rei might want to avoid me for awhile._

Rei deflated a bit. "Okay, Judai-sama. Does that mean I should stay out of your way for now, then? I mean, you love _that girl_, don't you?"

Judai closed his eyes. "Yeah. You hit the nail on the head, Rei."

"I'm sorry," Rei said. "I messed up your date, didn't I?"

Her tone was clear—she didn't approve of him being with another woman. But she was being very mature about it.

"Rei, I'm surprised. You're okay with me dating someone else?"

"If you love someone, you've got to let them go. You're in love with another woman, so I'll let you be with her. Don't worry, I'll find someone out there."

Judai stared at her for a moment. "Well, you've grown up a lot this past year, haven't you?"

Rei smiled. "Still friends, though, right?"

"Of course. I wouldn't want to lose your friendship," Judai answered, smiling at her. Rei hugged him in response.

When she pulled away, she said, "Well, if you'll excuse me, I have business to attend to." She didn't give Judai a chance to respond before she ran off.

* * *

"Asuka, I don't get it! Why are you so hell-bent on avoiding Judai?" Fubuki asked.

"Because he's a player, that's why!" Asuka yelled. "Fubuki, he has a girlfriend, and he led me on last night!"

"He did what now!?" Fubuki was shocked and outraged at the same time. "Oh, he's not getting away with that." He headed for the door.

"Wait, where are you going?" Asuka asked.

Fubuki growled, "To skin myself a prince." He threw open the door to find an unexpected visitor.

Judai was standing on their doorstep, his hand raised as if he was about to knock. "Uh, hey, Fubuki. Is Asuka—?"

Fubuki grabbed Judai by the front of his shirt. "Is Asuka what, Judai!?"

"Ah, so she's told you," Judai said, maintaining his calm. "Look, there's been a huge misunderstanding, and I can explain everything if you just give me the chance!"

Asuka came over. "Well, well. Hello, Judai. What do you want now?"

"I came to talk," he said. "Asuka, I'm telling you, this is one big misunderstanding on _everyone's _part! Even Rei!"

"Your girlfriend."

Shaking his head, Judai said, "No, she's not my girlfriend! Look, just give me a chance to explain, okay?" He was pleading. "Please, Asuka. I promise, if you don't believe me, I'll leave, and I won't bother you again."

"Should I just punch him?" Fubuki asked nonchalantly.

With a nervous grin, Judai said, "Beat me up if you want to. But that's not going to make me stay away, Fubuki."

"A restraining order might, though!"

"Fubuki, it's okay," Asuka said. "Let's let him explain himself. I actually want to hear this one."

Obviously reluctantly, Fubuki let go of Judai and let him into the house. The three of them settled down in the living room, with Asuka and Fubuki sitting on the couch and Judai in the armchair.

"Okay, look. Rei is one of the noble's kids, so she spent a lot of time at the castle when she was little. She and I never spent much time together because I thought girls had cooties until I was twelve. That's about the time Rei and I started hanging out because Johan dared me to kiss her, trying to prove that girls _don't_ have cooties. So I kissed Rei on the cheek and she thought that meant that I liked her and started following me around and calling herself my girlfriend and she got really jealous when she saw me with other girls that my dad was hoping I might fall in love with so she drove them all off which is why you and Yubel are the only girls I know my own age."

He started off relatively calmly, but he had been getting more and more worked up as he went along; he hadn't stopped for breath since the mention of the dare. At this point, he finally paused for a moment.

"Do you expect me to believe this?" Asuka asked.

"Hold on, I'm not done yet," Judai continued. "Anyway, I didn't know that this was why she was always following me around and driving off other potential brides, so I started thinking she was just crazy and tried to avoid being around other girls when she was nearby. She got it in her head that she wanted to be a spy for some reason, so last year she was sent to Misgarth on her first mission. So, even if I had been dating her, she's been out of the picture for over a year now, meaning I'm technically available no matter what!"

Judai knew he had said something wrong the moment Asuka narrowed her eyes at him. "So, just because your girlfriend isn't in town for awhile, you think you're single?"

"Asuka, I keep telling you she's not my girlfriend!" he protested. "She's a friend, that's all!"

"And Yubel is just a friend, too, right?" Shaking her head, Asuka said, "You're a real piece of work, Judai. Leading all of us on like that. I can't believe I ever had feelings for you."

Stunned, Judai didn't answer right away. When he did, it probably wasn't the best answer he could have given. "You 'had feelings' for me? What kind of feelings? And I don't like that 'had' you threw in there."

"Get out!" Asuka said, standing up suddenly and pointing to the door. "There's the door, now show yourself out!"

"But, Asuka, I—"

"OUT!"

Judai cringed. "Okay. Fine. You heard me out, and I said I would leave if you still wanted me to. But, Asuka...I..." Shaking his head, he said, "Never mind. It doesn't matter."

Asuka almost felt sorry for him; he sounded hurt. But he had asked for it—he was a player, and she wasn't going to fall for it again.

Judai headed for the door, stopping and turning back to ask, "So, does this mean...you and I...?"

She wasn't totally sure what he was asking. "We're not together, and we never will be."

Again, Judai hesitated before asking, "So, are we still...?" He trailed off again.

It clicked right then. "I'm still pretty mad at you, Judai." He looked away. "But I'll let you know when I'm through being mad. Don't worry; we can still be friends."

Judai smiled at her slightly. "Okay. I'll be waiting." He ran out before Fubuki could hit him.

Fubuki rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm... I don't know, Asuka. He seemed sincere."

"Oh, please, Fubuki," Asuka said, rolling her eyes. "I'm not going to fall for his tricks, and you shouldn't either!"

* * *

Judai stood on the doorstep, his hand still resting on the doorknob. "Damn it! Does anything ever go the way I plan?" he muttered.

Sighing, he walked away; away from the home of the only girl he had ever considered more than just a friend. He had other things to worry about right now, like what the rest of Misawa's plan was.

* * *

"Okay, Misawa, everyone that's coming is here," Judai said later, standing before the group in an empty room in the castle.

"Where's Fubuki? And Asuka?" Ryo asked.

Judai winced. "Yeah, they're not coming. But, may I introduce the spies who successfully obtained the satellite controls, Rei Saotome and Tyranno Kenzan!"

Kenzan had arrived sometime around dawn, twigs poking out of his bandanna, looking like he'd been to Hell and back. Judai had asked what took him so long, but Kenzan had just told him not to ask.

"I've already filled both of them in on the situation, so they know all about the Light of Destruction, Saiou, and Misawa's grand plan. Well," he said, looking at Misawa, "they know what the rest of us know, which is that it involves the satellite controls."

Misawa nodded, taking this as his cue to explain his plan fully. "Well, we know that the Light of Destruction aims to destroy the world, correct?" At everyone's nod, he continued, "It was planning to use this satellite to do this, so it will want to get these controls back. That's why I propose we hold a tournament of some sort, inviting Ojin and telling him that we know where the controls to his satellite are located."

Judai pondered for a moment. "So, we tell Ojin that we've robbed him, which will lure him—and probably Saiou—straight to us. Then we take them out in the tournament?"

"Precisely," Misawa nodded.

"I see no flaws in this," Manjoume said. "Except we don't know what kind of tournament it's going to be."

"Something that I can actually win at," Judai said. "So not fencing."

"No tennis," Yubel said, making Judai shudder.

"Should it be a team thing?" Johan asked. "Or singles?"

"Singles. I want to draw as few Light Drones as possible," Judai said. "And I beat them all if I just beat Saiou."

"A Duel Monsters tournament?" Sho suggested. "You're good at that."

"Yeah, and we could do tag duels," Rei said. "I mean, you're already expecting two Light Drones, so why not?"

Judai smirked at her. "You just want to be my partner, don't you?" he said teasingly.

Rei blushed. "Well, I was actually thinking that you could team up with _her. _You know, the girl who was too stubborn to show up."

"Please, if I tried to get her involved in a tag duel with me, she'd be on the enemy's side right now."

Jim raised an eyebrow. "You two have some sort of falling out, mate?" he asked.

"You could say that. Anyway, Duel Monsters tournament sounds good to me. I leave the details up to you, Misawa. Rei, you're the thief, so let Ojin know what happened to his satellite controls, okay?"

Rei nodded. "I can do that, Judai-sama!"

"Okay. So, we need to make this look legit, so do your best with the planning, okay?"

"Right, I'll get right on that," Misawa said. "Don't worry; I'll handle everything."

"I'm counting on you, Misawa." Judai looked at Ed. "Obviously you're entering the tournament, right? I mean, your brother and all."

Ed nodded. "I'm going to enter. And, if I can, I'm going to save Saiou from the Light of Destruction."

"I wish you the best of luck," Judai said. "Alright, we have a plan. Now, let's let Misawa get to work on actuating it."

Yubel's eyes widened. "'Actuating'? You know such a big word?"

"Funny, Yubel," Judai said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Real funny."


	30. Chapter 29

**Okay, new chapter, dedicated to Shadgirl2 since she's having a bad day. Hope this makes it a little better :) Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Rei knocked on the door, a determined look on her face. She had gotten this address from Ryo, and she knew that she had to stop by—after all, it was partially her fault that there was tension between this person and Judai.

The door opened to reveal a brunette who greatly resembled the blond from the night before. "Can I help you?" he asked Rei.

"Yes, you must be Fubuki. Is your sister here? Asuka? I need to speak with her." Rei was proud of herself—she sounded very grown up and mature, even if she _did_ hate this girl for winning Judai's heart.

Fubuki looked confused for a moment. "She is, but who are you? I've never seen you around before."

"That's because I haven't been around for awhile, and I spent most of my time in the castle before then. I'm Rei Saotome. Your sister and I met last night under...undesirable circumstances. I'd like to apologize and try to start again. You know, get off on the right foot this time?"

His jaw dropped, and he just stared at her for a moment before raising a hand to put his jaw back in place. "Wait, _you're_ Rei? Judai's may-or-may-not-be girlfriend?" At her nod, he added, "But you're just a little girl! What, ten?"

"I'm twelve, thank you very much," Rei said stiffly. "Anyway, can I talk to Asuka or not?"

"Uh, yeah, sure. Just a minute." Fubuki walked off to get Asuka. He never came back, but the blond woman Rei had come to see appeared in the doorway.

"Ah, Rei. What brings you here?" she asked, obviously not too happy to see the young girl.

Her tone told Rei that it wouldn't be easy to convince her that Judai wasn't what she thought. _Well, then, on to Plan B,_ Rei thought.

"Well," she said, "I hear you're a pretty good duelist. Is that true?"

Raising an eyebrow, Asuka said, "Yes. Why?"

"Because the kingdom of Neo Space has need of your abilities!" Rei said, trying her best to sound all business. "In his battle against the Light of Destruction, Prince Judai is going to host a Duel Monsters tournament. The tournament is open to the public, but I'm looking to recruit some duelists who may be able to defeat the Light Drones that will surely enter this tournament. Are you in?"

Asuka sighed. "Well, I said I would help, so you can count me in, I guess."

"Great!" Rei said, smiling. "Then consider yourself officially registered for the tournament."

Rei turned to leave, but stopped when she decided that she might as well try anyway. "You know, Judai's a really nice guy. I'm sure he never meant to hurt you," she said, looking back at Asuka. "I'm sorry, by the way, for last night."

Asuka looked away, a mask of indifference on her face. "Whatever. He's your boyfriend, so you had every right to do what you did."

"Yeah, actually, he's only my boyfriend when he visits my dreams."

"Did he tell you to tell me that?" Asuka asked.

Rei sighed and, realizing that she was about to make things worse, said, "No, it's just that he seemed so upset earlier when I saw him, so I had to come here and try to make things right between the two of you." She took another step away from the house and added, "But, hey, if you're that stubborn that you won't believe anything people tell you, that's your loss. Whoever gets Judai in the end will be one lucky girl."

Rei ran off, leaving Asuka to think about her words—assuming that the blond woman would let herself consider that Judai had been telling the truth.

_Aw, whatever. No matter what she thinks, my plan's set into motion now._ Rei grinned as she thought about the plan she had concocted.

* * *

A few weeks later, Misawa informed Judai that the tournament had been planned out, and all they needed to do was spread the word. "We have determined the rules, the location, the prize, everything. All that's left is to determine the participants. Well, besides those we already know will be dueling."

"Alright. Good work, Misawa. The marketing bit should be the easy part. So, do I get to hear these rules, or do I have to wait until the tournament?"

"I'll tell you what you are allowed to know later, as you will be informing the other contestants of the rules for this tournament."

"Alright," Judai said, nodding. He felt a little uneasy about the fact that he wasn't allowed to know _all_ of the rules yet, but he would let it slide. "Okay, Misawa, spread the word."

"Already on it," he said, running off.

Judai watched him go, wondering why he had a bad feeling about the rules of this tournament. "Probably just my imagination," he muttered.

* * *

Soon after, the tournament was scheduled to begin. It was being held in the castle, so the servants had been busy for days preparing guest rooms. Eighty people would be coming for the tournament, supposedly representing the best duelists in the land.

Judai couldn't help but wonder why all of the contestants seemed to be arriving in pairs. However, he had more important things to worry about; some of the guests were bound to be Light Drones.

"Judai!" an angry voice called. Judai sighed, knowing that voice all too well, and turned to face the crown prince of Misgarth.

"Well, nice to see you, too, Ojin," he said calmly.

"Don't play coy with me!" Ojin said. "I don't know how you knew about the satellite, but I want those controls back!"

"Then win" was Judai's answer as he started to walk away. "If you win, then I'll return the controls to you. Otherwise, your satellite has to come down."

Ojin's eyebrow twitched. "Oh, believe me, Judai. I will win this tournament. After all, I have my One Turn Kill deck!"

"Sounds interesting," Judai said without turning. "But there's eighty contestants. We'll see who wins."

"So, that's him?" a voice said.

Judai stopped and tensed. That _had_ to be Saiou. Turning, he saw a man with purple eyes and blue hair, dressed all in white.

"And who are you?" Judai asked.

"My name is Takuma Saiou," he said. "I'm Prince Ojin's partner in this tournament."

Judai raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?" he said, assuming that Saiou meant he would be fighting for the satellite controls as well. "Well, good luck to both of you." He walked away, wondering why he had agreed to let the Light of Destruction stay in the castle during the tournament.

* * *

Later that night, the contestants were all gathered in the ballroom for a little party before the tournament, which would begin in the morning. The rules of the tournament were supposed to be explained at this event.

Judai couldn't help but search for Light Drones—he was sure that Saiou and Ojin weren't the only ones here who were working for the Light, even if Ojin didn't realize it.

"Hey, fancy meeting you here!" Fubuki said, wrapping an arm around Judai's neck. "So, you ready for this, Judai?"

Obviously Fubuki had forgiven him, even if Asuka still hadn't spoken to him since the incident with Rei. "I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be, Fubuki. So, you entered this tournament, too?"

"Yeah, me and Ryo both!" he said. "We're going to win!"

Judai raised an eyebrow. "Uh, Fubuki? Only one person can win."

Fubuki got all dramatic, draping an arm across his face as he said, "Oh, no! You mean they didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Judai was getting a bad feeling...

Before Fubuki could answer, Misawa's voice rang out above the noise. "Attention, please, duelists!" he said. He was standing at the top of the staircase, speaking into a microphone. "I would like to welcome you all to the tournament of the century! The best of luck to all of you! Now, before we continue with the festivities, I have an announcement I would like to make." He paused for a moment, making sure everyone was listening, before continuing, "As you learned when you registered, this tournament is a tag duel tournament."

"What!?" Judai exclaimed. "I told them no tag duels!"

"For those of you who wanted to enter but didn't have a partner, we have paired you up with another single contestant." There were murmurs throughout the crowd, and Misawa raised a hand to silence them. "Now, there were a few. So, let me tell those duelists who they will be dueling with tomorrow!"

As Misawa listed names Judai didn't know—or care about—Judai wondered who he had been paired with, and why so many people had registered as single duelist. Did they just want to get stuck with someone who wasn't any good? Or did they not have any friends whose decks would work well in conjunction with theirs? Misawa mentioned sixteen names before he finally got to Judai.

"And, our final pair is Judai Yuki," Misawa said, "and Asuka Tenjoin!"

Judai closed his eyes. He should have known that was going to happen. Likely, Asuka hadn't been told about the tag duel rule either. _There's no way this is going to end well... I might as well just accept defeat now,_ he thought. _She still hates me for earlier! There's no way she'll work with me._

"What!?" Judai heard Asuka yell over the crowd. He could tell from her tone that she was definitely caught off-guard by that tag duel thing as well.

"So, everyone, find your partners if you haven't already done so! Now, I'm going to turn things over to Prince Judai so that he can explain the rest of the rules."

Judai was _pissed_. Misawa had conveniently left that one detail out of his run-down of the rules. Nevertheless, he made his way to the top of the staircase, declining the microphone when Misawa offered it.

"Well, thank you, Misawa, for that little bit of information," he said, his voice laced with venom. "After all, it would have been rather difficult to duel in a _tag duel tournament_ without knowing who my _tag duel partner_ is going to be. Now, as for the rest of the rules, the preliminaries start in the morning. When you return to your rooms tonight, you'll learn who your first _opponents_ are and where you'll be dueling them. Duels will take place in various locations around the capital. The winners of the first duels will then be sent to the location of their next duel. Once we're down to the last four..._teams_...we move on to the finals, which will be held tomorrow in the duel arena here in the castle. As a prize, the _winners_ can request anything they wish, and, if it is within my power to grant that request, it's yours. Any questions, hassle Misawa."

With that out of the way, Judai made his way back down the stairs to meet his fuming partner, who was waiting at the bottom of the staircase.

"What the hell is this supposed to be!?" she demanded.

"Your guess is as good as mine, Asuka," Judai said, not looking at her. "I told them _not_ to do a tag duel. Heck, I'd rather play tennis than tag duel with you right now, and I can't stand tennis."

Asuka looked angry—well, angrier. "What's that supposed to mean!?"

"It means you hate me right now, as you're demonstrating quite clearly!" he answered. "So, you got a card that lets you switch partners? Because that would really come in handy. Then we wouldn't have to put up with each other."

Asuka sighed. "Okay, Judai. I'm sorry. Let's just try to put our differences aside and win this tournament. After all, you have to defeat the Light of Destruction, meaning you can't afford to lose."

"Yeah, no kidding," Judai muttered.

"One thing our prince forgot to mention!" Misawa called. "In a duel, you and your partner share a combined 8000 life points. If your combined life points reach zero, you lose."

"Well, that's a given, Misawa," Judai muttered. "Besides, I didn't know about the rules involving _tag duels_ because I didn't _know_ this was a tag duel tournament..."

"You really didn't know?" Asuka asked. "But this was your plan!"

Judai shook his head. "It's Misawa's plan. This is what he wanted the satellite controls for. He lured Saiou and Ojin here by telling them we had the controls and would give them back if they won this tournament. Though I didn't know he was going with a tag duel tournament even though I told him not to."

"When did Misawa tell us this?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"When Rei got back with the satellite controls. I figured you wouldn't want to be in the same room as me, seeing as you're mad at me and everything."

Asuka sighed. She _was_ getting tired of fighting with Judai, but she wasn't ready to forgive him yet. He had lied to her face and tricked her into thinking he loved her!

"Judai," she said, "I'm not ready to forgive you yet. But I won't let you down. I'll do my best in this tournament."

"Thanks, Asuka." She couldn't tell if that was sarcastic or not.


	31. Chapter 30

**New chapter. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Later that night, Judai and Asuka were in his room discussing the upcoming tournament.

"So, if we're going to win this, we might want to figure out how to make our decks work together," Judai said. "What kind of deck do you use?"

"Cyber Girl," Asuka answered. "But let me worry about my strategies, okay?"

Judai sighed, feeling that this was going to be impossible. _Way to go, Misawa. You must be working for the Light of Destruction... After all, you've just sabotaged our plan to defeat it._

"Asuka, it's a tag duel," Judai reasoned. "If one of us loses, we both lose. So we need to work together. Right?"

Asuka glared at him. "Look, I know how tag duels work, okay?"

"Okay, then quit acting like I'm your enemy."

She blinked. Blushing, she said, "Uh, right. Sorry."

"No problem. Just _please_ don't do that tomorrow," Judai begged.

Asuka nodded. "Right. So, should we go over some strategies?"

Grinning, Judai said, "That's more like it. We're going to be the ultimate team out there tomorrow! Nobody's gonna beat us!"

Asuka smiled in spite of herself. Judai was acting so childish—the fate of the world was on the line, and he was talking about them being unbeatable as if this tournament was just for fun. _Well, that's Judai for you, I guess. Every duel is fun, even if the fate of the world is on the line._

* * *

The morning came, and the contestants prepared for their first duels. Some were scrambling to get ready at the last minute, such as...

"Fubuki, hurry up," Ryo called, knocking on his partner's door. "Our duel is in twenty minutes, and that's about how long it will take to get there!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" he called. A second later, he threw the door open. Ryo gaped. "Well, what do you think?"

Fubuki had gone out and gotten a new outfit especially for this tournament. He was wearing black cargo pants, a red shirt with a flame pattern, and a black trench coat. On top of his head was a pair of black sunglasses, the lenses tinted red.

"Is there any reason you're dressed like that?" Ryo asked, his tone flat.

"Red Eyes Black Dragon! It's my ace card, so I'm dressed for that. See?" He pulled the sunglasses down over his face. "I've even got the 'red eyes' to go with it!"

Ryo just stared for a moment. Finally, he said, "Whatever, Fubuki. Let's go."

Honestly, Fubuki never ceased to amaze him—dressing like his best card... Ryo was surprised Fubuki hadn't tried to make _him_ dress as the Cyber End Dragon.

_If he had,_ Ryo thought, _I would have strangled him._

* * *

"My Prince, are you ready?" Saiou asked Ojin.

Ojin flipped through his deck one more time. "Yes, I believe so, Saiou. So, who were our first opponents again?"

Saiou smiled and said, "It doesn't matter—I've already foreseen our victory. It is assured. Don't worry, my Prince. We will obtain the SORA controls before long."

"You had better be right, Saiou," Ojin said crossly. "I never thought that _Judai _of all people would have them stolen. I mean, he was always a nuisance when we were children. He was immature and irresponsible, and he had a tendency to get _both_ of us in trouble, but he never struck me as the type to send spies to infiltrate the castle and steal from my family!"

"No doubt his father placed the spies in your kingdom, your Highness. Prince Judai has only recently taken any interest in politics and international affairs."

Ojin nodded. "That makes more sense, I suppose. Still, I wish I knew how he found out about SORA in the first place. I never told Blair or Hassleberry!" Ojin grimaced when he said the name of the boy who had betrayed his trust.

Saiou looked at him, feigning a look of sympathy. "You trusted the boy, and he was relaying everything you said to the enemy the entire time."

"That's right. Well, when we win this tournament, I'm getting those controls ba—"

Ojin's eyes widened—he had just thought of something. "Saiou," he said slowly. "Didn't Judai say that he would grant _any_ wish, as long as it was within his power to do so?"

"Correct, your Highness," Saiou said, nodding.

"Then I know how to get the SORA controls back _and _make Neo Space pay for this outrage at the same time," Ojin said with a devious smile. "Judai will regret the day he crossed me."

* * *

Asuka looked at herself in the mirror. "I knew I shouldn't have let Fubuki pick out my outfit for this, but I have to wonder if he wasn't in on the plan to pair me up with Judai," she muttered.

Her outfit consisted of a tight, short, blue skirt and a white top that revealed her bare midriff and showed way more cleavage than she would like. The spaghetti straps holding it up didn't make her feel any better. She was wearing a pair of black, high-heeled, knee-high boots to complete the outfit.

"No," she muttered. "I'm not wearing this. I'm—"

"Hey, Asuka, you ready?" Judai called, knocking on her door.

_Crap!_

"Uh, well..." She sighed, seeing no way out of this. "Yeah. I'm coming."

When she opened the door, she thought Judai's eyes were going to pop out of their sockets. "Uh, what are you wearing...?" he asked, blushing. Asuka noticed it was taking a bit of effort for him to keep his eyes up top.

"Ask Fubuki," she said. "He bought it. I wasn't allowed to see it until today." In a mumble, she added, "A choice I _knew_ I'd regret, but I didn't imagine this."

Judai kept staring. Asuka took the opportunity to examine his much-less-seductive outfit.

He wore a long sleeve black turtleneck shirt showing under a red, short sleeve button-up and black, washed out jeans. His shoes were red and black sneakers. Nothing fancy, which was probably the way he liked it—he wasn't one to dress up.

"So, is there any reason why the prince of Neo Space is dressed like a commoner?" Asuka asked teasingly.

"Uh, yeah, because there's no reason to dress like a prince," he answered, still recovering from the sight of her wardrobe. "I don't dress like a prince when I leave the castle, Asuka."

"Eyes up top, Judai," Asuka said sternly.

Judai blinked, then looked her in the eye and said, "You should put something on over that. Nobody's going to be able to focus on the duel if they're staring at you all day."

She wasn't sure, but she thought she had just been complimented. "We should go. The first duel starts soon, doesn't it?" she said, walking past him into the hallway.

Judai stared after her. _Dang it, Fubuki! What sort of sick joke is this!? Making the object of my desire even more attractive when she hates my guts!? Really!? _Sighing, Judai muttered, "They're all up to something, I _know_ it..."

Asuka stopped and turned. "Say something, Judai?"

"No, nothing," he answered, shaking his head. He walked toward her. "We should get going. We have a duel to win!"

With that established—and no desire to have Asuka in his line of vision right now—he ran ahead of her.

"Judai, slow down!" Asuka called. She had tried to sound annoyed, Judai could tell. But he could have sworn he heard her laugh a bit—but he wasn't going to get his hopes up. She still hated him for "playing" her, and that didn't seem likely to change soon.


	32. Chapter 31

**Okay, here's a very long chapter (at least, compared to how much I usually write...7 pages when I typed it). Thanks to Shadgirl2 for checking over the duel and working out the kinks (because I'm no good with duels...especially tag duels since I've never been in one). Anyway, enough of my rambling. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

**EDIT: I noticed that one of the cards Asuka used just happened to come out of nowhere, and my math was faulty on the life points. So, I rewrote some of this chapter, making it actually work out.**

**WARNING: OC**

"Alright, we're here, where's our opponents?" Judai looked around, searching for anyone else wearing a duel disk. He and Asuka were standing outside of the courthouse—the sight of their first duel of the preliminaries. "They should be here by now."

"Patience, Judai," Asuka said, laughing a little at his eagerness. "I'm sure they're on their way."

Judai kept looking around. Asuka shook her head, smiling; he was so childish. Though, honestly, she thought this was a welcome change from the secretive, antisocial behavior he had been exhibiting the last time she saw him.

_I wonder where the change came from,_ she thought.

"Hey, you in the tournament?" Judai and Asuka both turned toward the speaker. A blond man with green eyes, wearing what looked like a military uniform of some sort, stood behind them. He was with a woman, also blond but with brown eyes, wearing the female version of said military uniform. They were both wearing duel disks.

"Yeah, we are," Judai answered. "So, you our opponents?"

"Seems so," said the woman. "I'm Reggie Mackenzie. This is David Rabb."

"I'm Judai. This is Asuka Tenjoin."

David raised an eyebrow. "'Judai'? As in Judai Yuki, the crown prince of Neo Space?" Judai didn't answer.

"He doesn't look like much," Reggie said. "It can't be the same Judai."

"Are we going to spend all day talking about my tag partner, or are we going to duel?" Asuka asked.

David cast her a disapproving glance. "Yeah, we're gonna duel. Just hold your horses, bi—"

"Don't even think of finishing that!" Judai interrupted, sending a death glare at David.

Reggie chuckled. "Well, it seems you've hit a soft spot. Don't insult his girlfriend, David," she teased.

"I'm not his girlfriend!" Asuka protested, though she couldn't help but be touched by Judai's little outburst on her behalf. "We're just friends."

Judai smiled at her, glad to hear those words. Granted, he didn't want to be "just friends," but it was better than being hated by her.

"Whatever," Reggie said with a shrug. "Let's duel."

"Alright!"

Judai and Asuka: 8000  
David and Reggie: 8000

"I'll go first!" David said, drawing his card. "I summon Quantity in attack mode!" (Atk 500 )

A little metal man appeared on David's field.

"That ends my turn."

"It's my turn!" Asuka said as she drew her card. "I summon Etoile Cyber!" (Atk 1200)

A woman with long red hair and red and blue skin, with a sort of half skirt and ribbons around her arms, twirled as she appeared on Asuka's field.

"I play one card face down and end my turn."

Reggie drew her card, saying nothing. "I'll summon Sacred Spirit Parmal in defense mode. (Def 300) Then I'll set one card and end my turn."

"It's my turn! Draw!" Judai said, drawing his card. "I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in defense mode! (Def 2000) Then I'll play one card face down and end my turn."

David drew his next card. "Well," he said, "we've gotten through the boring first turn. So, let's make this duel more interesting now, shall we?" He took a card from his hand. "I summon Quality in attack mode. (Atk 1200)

The metal man that David had just summoned was similar to Quantity.

"Then, I activate Scrap Storage! This card has me choose one machine-type monster on my field and destroy it. Then I send all cards with the same name from my deck to my graveyard."

"Why would you do that?" Judai asked. It seemed like a faulty strategy to him.

"You'll see, kid. So, I'll destroy Quantity! Then I'll send two more to the graveyard. That ends my turn."

Asuka narrowed her eyes—David was up to something, that was for sure. _The question is what._

"It's my turn!" she said. "I draw!" She glanced at the card before adding it to her hand. "Alright, David, I'll summon my Cyber Tutu in attack mode!" (Atk 1000)

A pink-haired ballerina in a green and red outfit materialized on the field. She wore pink ballet shoes and a green headset with a visor over her eyes.

"She has a special ability—if you don't control any monsters weaker than her, she can attack you directly!"

"What!?" David exclaimed.

"Way to go, David!" Reggie said, obviously annoyed.

"That's not all! I equip her with Angel Wing!" A pair of wings sprouted out of Cyber Tutu's back. "When a monster equipped with this card inflicts battle damage, you take another 300 points of damage! So, Cyber Tutu, attack their life points directly!"

The winged ballerina twirled in and kicked David in the gut.

Judai and Asuka: 8000  
David and Reggie: 6700

"Next, Etoile Cyber attacks your Sacred Spirit Parmal!"

The other prima twirled in and attacked the little angel, destroying it easily.

Judai pumped his fist in the air. "Alright! Sweet move, Asuka!" he said, giving her a thumbs up.

Asuka spared him a smile before turning her attention back to the duel. "That ends my turn."

"I'll make you pay for that," Reggie said as she drew her card. "I summon Iofiel! (Atk 1000) When I summon this monster, I can send a level 1 fairy-type monster from my deck to my graveyard to increase Iofiel's attack power by 1000!" She said, selecting a card from her deck and sending it to the graveyard. (Atk 2000) "Now, Iofiel, attack her Cyber Tutu!"

"I activate Doble Passe! This card turns your monster's attack into a direct attack!"

Iofiel fired a beam of light, missing Cyber Tutu and hitting Asuka instead.

Judai and Asuka: 6000  
David and Reggie: 6700

"Why did you do that?" Reggie asked, sounding slightly confused.

"Because now my Cyber Tutu gets to attack you directly! And don't forget about Angel Wing."

As Asuka spoke, her monster launched another direct attack, this time hitting Reggie.

Judai and Asuka: 6000  
David and Reggie: 5400

"Damn those stupid wings!" Reggie yelled. "That monster is going down eventually!"

Asuka smiled. "Maybe. But not yet."

Gritting her teeth, Reggie said, "I end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Judai said, drawing his card. "I activate Polymerization to fuse the Elemental Hero Clayman on my field with the Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in my hand. This lets me summon Elemental Hero Rampart Blaster!" (Def 2500)

David smirked. "Is that all you know how to do, kid? Defend?"

"Nope!" Judai said. "See, Rampart Blaster has a special ability: When it's in defense mode, it can attack you directly, but it's attack points are cut in half."

"Aw, come off it!"

"Rampart Blaster, attack them directly!"

Judai and Asuka: 6000  
David and Reggie: 4400

"That's all for now," Judai said. "It's back to you, David."

"You don't have to tell me, punk," David grumbled, drawing his card. "I summon Machina Sniper in attack mode!" (Atk 1800)

A beige-colored, humanoid robot carrying a rocket launcher took its place on the field.

"Machina Sniper! Attack Cyber Tutu!"

Machina Sniper fired his rocket launcher at Cyber Tutu, destroying her.

Judai and Asuka: 5200  
David and Reggie: 4400

"Since my Cyber Tutu was destroyed, so was Angel Wing. That means I draw one card."

David smirked. "Yeah, like that's going to help you, girly."

"We'll see!" Asuka said as she drew her card. "I activate The Warrior Returning alive to return Cyber Tutu to my hand. Then, I think I'll summon her!"

As Asuka spoke, she slapped the card down on her duel disk. Cyber Tutu reappeared on the field.

"Damn it!" David said. "I just got rid of that thing!"

"Well, don't worry, David, because she won't be around for long! I activate Prima Light! This lets me sacrifice my Cyber Tutu to summon Cyber Prima!" (Atk 2300)

Cyber Tutu vanished from the field, a new monster taking her place. Cyber Prima had long, white hair, a gray bodysuit, and gold rings around her wrists, her upper arms, and her waist.

"Cyber Prima, attack her Iofiel!" she commanded.

The monster did as it was told, spinning in to destroy the opposing monster.

Judai and Asuka: 5200  
David and Reggie: 4100

"I switch Etoile Cyber into defense mode, play one card face down, and end my turn."

Reggie drew her next card. "Alright, I think it's time I stopped kidding around. I'll activate my field spell, Holy Sanctuary! This card decreases the attack of all non-fairy-type monsters by 500."

Cyber Prima's attack dropped to 1800.

"Next, I summon Virtue Angel Vach! (Atk 2200) Since it's a level six monster, I would normally have to sacrifice a monster to summon it. But, because of my Holy Sanctuary, I don't need to."

The angel she was talking about looked somewhat brutish. The giant mallet he was carrying didn't help his image any.

"Next, I activate my trap card, Saint Aura! With this card, I switch one defending monster on your field to attack mode and halve its attack. So, I think I'll choose that Rampart Blaster of yours, Judai!"

"Aw, man!" Judai groaned as his monster switched into attack mode, its attack now decreased to 750 due to the combined effects of Holy Sanctuary and Saint Aura.

"Now, Virtue Angel Vach, attack his weakened hero!"

The angel raised its mallet and smashed Judai's monster.

Judai and Asuka: 3750  
David and Reggie: 4100

"I activate my trap, Hero Signal!" Judai said as the card flipped face-up. "When one of my monsters is destroyed, this card lets me summon a level 4 or lower Elemental Hero from my hand or deck. I summon Bubbleman!" (Def 1200)

"Like that will help you," Reggie said. "I end my turn."

"Then it's my turn!" Judai said, drawing his next card.

* * *

Judai and Asuka weren't the only ones dueling at the moment. Elsewhere, Manjoume was struggling to get his partner to stop staring at him adoringly long enough to actually duel.

"Look, Ai, I've already told you—if you can't _focus on the duel_, you can't be my partner, and I'll never speak to you again if you make me lose!" Manjoume yelled in frustration. Manjoume had spent the better part of this duel defending Ai's weak monsters and blocking attacks, although Ai had made some good moves. Their opponents only had 900 life points remaining, but Manjoume and Ai had even less—100.

"Don't worry, Jun!" she said, again addressing him in a more familiar way than he was comfortable with. "I've got a plan!"

"You'd better," he muttered. Their opponents had two high-level monsters on their field—Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl. "If you make me lose in the first round of the tournament..."

"It's my turn!" Ai said, drawing her card. Then, she paused dramatically. "Are you ready for this, Jun?" she asked, looking at Manjoume.

Manjoume closed his eyes in annoyance. "Just get on with it, Ai."

"Alright, then!" she said, her voice way too bubbly for Manjoume's liking. "I sacrifice my White Papillon and my Rose Papillon to summon my Butterfly Fairy!" (Atk 2900)

"Whoa, wait!" Manjoume said, stunned. "_That's _what you were going for!?"

"Well, yes," Ai said, smiling. "It's one of my best cards. Do you like it, Jun?"

"If it wins, yes. Otherwise, no."

Ai turned back to their opponents. "Are you ready to lose?" she asked. "Butterfly Fairy attacks your Dark Magician Girl!"

"Not so fast! I activate Mirror Force!"

"Then I activate Trap Jammer," Ai countered. "This negates and destroys your Mirror Force!"

"No way!"

Manjoume and Ai: 100  
Opponents: 0

"We won, Jun!" Ai cried, running to hug Manjoume. "We won!"

Manjoume pushed her off. "Yeah," he said. "Now remind me how you wound up as my partner again?"

Manjoume had signed up without a partner—he had wanted to team up with Asuka but had been told she already had a partner. It turned out that wasn't true, but he didn't find that out until it was too late. Now he was stuck with a red-haired fangirl.

Arguably, she was attractive, with long, wavy hair cascading down her back and sparkling brown eyes—but she was obsessed! He had only met her this morning, when she arrived at the sight of their first duel wearing an "I heart Jun Manjoume" T-shirt.

"Oh, silly, it's because we were meant to be together!" she answered in her creepy way. "Don't you see? I mean, what are the odds of both of us registering as single duelists and being paired up in the tournament?"

Manjoume had this weird feeling that she had rigged it somehow, but he didn't dare say that—this girl was certifiably insane, and he didn't want to aggravate her.

"Whatever, Ai," he muttered. "Let's just get ready for our next duel."

* * *

"I activate Pot of Greed! This lets me draw 2 cards. Next, I'll activate Polymerization!" Judai said. "I'll fuse the Bubbleman on my field with the Avian and Sparkman in my hand to summon Elemental Hero Tempest!" (Atk 2800-reduced to 2300)

A man clad in blue and yellow armor with green hair and wings emerged on Judai's field as a gust of wind blew across the field.

"Tempest attacks Quality!" Judai said. His monster launched an attack on the angel, blowing it away.

Judai and Asuka: 3750  
David and Reggie: 2500

David smirked. "Well, it's about time someone did that!"

"What?" Asuka asked.

"When Quality is destroyed, I can summon as many Quantity as possible from my graveyard," David said as the three Quantity that were in his grave appeared on the field in defense mode.

Asuka had a bad feeling, and she wasn't the only one if Judai's expression was any indication. "I play one card face down and end my turn," he said.

"Then it's my turn," David said as he drew his card. "Are you ready for this?" David asked, holding up a card rather dramatically. "This is my ultimate card! The most powerful monster in my deck!"

"David, stop showing off and just summon it already," Reggie said, smiling slightly.

David glared at her. "I was getting to it," he muttered. "I sacrifice two Quantity to summon The Big Saturn!" (Atk 2800-reduced to 2300)

A huge black and chrome machine, round like a planet and with a ring around it, materialized on David's field. It just exuded an aura of power.

Judai tensed, sensing great power coming from that monster. "That's one of the Planet series... They're one of a kind! How did you get a card that rare?"

"I know a guy" was David's simple response. "But, anyway, let's get on with this duel. Saturn attacks Cyber Prima!"

As David spoke, his monster charged up an attack, firing it straight at Asuka's monster and destroying it.

"I activate Hallowed Life Barrier! This negates the damage I would take this turn," Asuka said, revealing her face down card. "All it costs me is one card from my hand."

Judai and Asuka: 3750  
David and Reggie: 2500

"Next, Machina Sniper attacks your Etoile Cyber!"

Yet again, Asuka's monster was shot by the sniper's weapon and destroyed, leaving her with no monsters of her own.

"It's your turn, Asuka Tenjoin."

Asuka stared at the monster before her, the one that had just destroyed her Cyber Prima so easily. _One of a kind... Why do I get the feeling there's more to this monster than David's letting on right now? I'd better be careful.__  
_

"Draw!"

**Yeah, it's a cliffhanger. I thought having The Big Saturn on the field, staring our heroes down as they wonder what secrets it may be hiding was a good place for a break. Review please! Let me know if there's anything I messed up that Shadgirl2 didn't catch! (Be gentle...I suck at this card game lol.)**


	33. Chapter 32

**Okay, so, for those of you who read the previous chapter before this afternoon, I made some changes to it because there were some mistakes (added cards, math errors, that sort of thing). I think I've got it worked out now, but there's always the possibility that I missed something else, so I will be on the lookout for more mistakes, and I'll have to proofread more carefully in the future. Anyway, enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Asuka glanced at the card in her hand, smiling. "Judai, I have a plan, but I'm going to need your help to pull it off. Understood?"

Judai looked at her for a moment. Finally, he nodded. "Okay, Asuka. I got it."

"Alright, I activate Pot of Greed! This lets me draw two cards."

David smirked. "Yeah, that's going to help you."

Asuka looked David right in the eye, smirking right back at him. "Well, we'll see about that, David. I summon Cyber Petit Angel! (Def 200) When this card is normal or flip summoned, I can add one Machine Angel Ritual from my deck to my hand. Then I'll play one card face down. That's all for this turn," Asuka said. "You're up, Reggie."

Reggie drew. She didn't look very impressed. "That's it? I was expecting something...more. Oh, well. I activate Graceful Charity. So, I draw three cards and discard two." Reggie switched the cards in her hand, a determined look on her face, then looked at them smugly. "Well," she said slowly, "you two are in for a real treat. Are you ready? I sacrifice Virtue Angel Vach to summon Athena! (Atk 2600) Now, let's see, whose monster has the most attack points? Yours, Judai, or mine? Well, because of Holy Sanctuary, it's mine. Sad to say, you two are going to take a few points of damage again. Athena attacks Tempest!"

"Judai activates a face down card!" Judai called, using the same condescending tone that Reggie was using. "It's called Hero Barrier, and it negates an opponent's attack once!"

Reggie looked slightly bored. "Defending again? Really, I'm starting to think David was right about you, Judai. You can't do anything _but_ defend, can you? There's no way you're going to win this tournament, which would be slightly embarrassing if you _are _Prince Judai. Though I seriously doubt that you are." With a shrug, she said, "I'll end my turn, then."

"It's my turn. Draw!" Judai looked at his card, then grinned at Reggie. "You're right that losing would be embarrassing—but only if I lost to you guys! I mean, you're field spell hurts your tag partner as much as it does us, and he can't keep a monster on the field to save his life! You two are a pretty lousy team. What are you doing working together?"

"That's none of your business, kid!" David yelled.

Reggie sighed. "I've been wondering that myself. David, shut up."

"But he—"

"Is trying to get to you. Now shut up and don't let him have the satisfaction."

Asuka wasn't sure about that—she doubted Judai would intentionally play with an opponent's head. Then again, he had been acting off ever since that incident with Darkness. _No, even before then,_ she thought. _He's been acting off ever since that whole thing in Dark World! I mean, it got worse after the Darkness thing, but he's been out of sorts for months now._

Judai shook his head. "Whatever, guys. It's your choice who you team up with. I mean, I didn't hear _your _names called last night when Misawa was pairing everyone up with their doom matches. Anyway, I'll get on with my turn." He took a card from his hand, saying, "I activate my field spell, which _doesn't _hurt my partner! Skyscraper!"

When Judai placed his card in the field spell zone, the sanctuary vanished, being replaced by a city—they were surrounded by a very realistic hologram of a city in the night.

"Because your Holy Sanctuary is gone, my monster's attack points return to normal! Of course, so do David's."

Tempest's attack power went back to its original 2800, while Machina Sniper was back to 1800. As for The Big Saturn, it's attack also returned to 2800.

"Now, Tempest attacks The Big Saturn!"

"They'll both be destroyed!" David protested.

Judai grinned. "Oh, really?"

Both monster's attacked at the same time, but only Saturn was destroyed. At the same time, the Skyscraper field spell vanished from the field.

"What was that!?" David yelled. "Why is your monster still on the field!? Where's your field spell!?"

"Tempest's special effect: If it would be destroyed in battle, I send one card from my field to the grave to negate its destruction. I sent Skyscraper to the graveyard to keep Tempest!"

David growled, obviously irritated.

"That's it for my turn. It's back to you, David!"

David scowled. Asuka couldn't help but grin a bit—Judai obviously got on that man's nerves. As David drew his card, he seemed to be contemplating ways to strangle Judai without being caught.

"I'll activate Monster Reborn to bring back my old friend, Saturn!" David said. The Big Saturn reappeared on his field, as if it had never been destroyed.

"Crud," Judai muttered. "And here I thought we were free of that for a little while."

"You didn't get to see what Saturn's really capable of yet, kid!" David yelled. "By discarding one card in my hand and sacrificing 1000 life points, I can raise Saturn's attack power by 1000 this turn!"

"What!?" Judai and Asuka both exclaimed.

David smirked. "So, this time, Tempest _is_ getting destroyed. I send one card to the graveyard and sacrifice 1000 life points to raise Saturn's attack power to 3800!"

Judai and Asuka: 3750  
David and Reggie: 1500

Judai looked at Asuka. She had been waiting for that. "I activate my face down card, Pure Pupil!"

"Wait, what?" David looked a little stunned—apparently he had expected them to be helpless in the face of Saturn's effect.

"I can activate this trap card when you activate an effect monster's effect and I control a monster with 1000 attack points or less, such as my Cyber Petit Angel. It negates the effect and destroys the monster!"

Reggie glared at David. "You idiot! You just cost us the duel!"

Judai looked mildly stunned. "What do you mean?"

That's when The Big Saturn was destroyed, and it's final effect activated. Both teams took a serious hit to their life points: 2800 points of damage.

Judai and Asuka: 950  
David and Reggie: 0

"What just happened?" Judai asked, staring at his life point counter. "Why did we all take damage?"

"Saturn's final effect: When it's destroyed by an opponent's card effect, both players take damage equal to Saturn's attack," David answered grudgingly. "Man, I know you cheated! How else could you have taken Saturn out that easily?"

"Whoa, we didn't cheat! We won fair and square," Judai said. "Don't go accusing people of things, David. That's no way to make friends."

Unable to resist (as David was annoying her at the moment), Asuka said, "Yeah, and you want to be friends with him, David. He's the crown prince of Neo Space."

"Asuka!"

David's eyes widened, but Reggie shrugged. "Whatever. It's not like we're from Neo Space anyway."

Judai looked at them. "Where are you from?"

"Misgarth. Our prince said you stole something from him, and he asked us to help him get it back. We work for him, so how could we refuse?" Reggie said.

"Whoa, wait! You guys are here...because... Is that how you got The Big Saturn!?"

Reggie shrugged. "Yeah, I'll admit it—my father was here as a spy, and he swiped the Planet series cards then."

"Should you be telling me that?" Judai asked. "I mean, now I know that anyone with the last name Mackenzie can't be trusted."

"He's retired, so I don't think it really matters all that much."

Asuka raised her eyebrow. "Wait, so Misgarth was the first to infiltrate and steal?"

Nodding, Reggie said, "The king was afraid that Neo Space had some weapon that could wipe us off the map. He found out about the Planet series and deemed those cards dangerous, so he asked my father to retrieve them." Reggie shrugged. "Ojin thought we could use them in this tournament. He gave one to everyone in this tournament that's on his side. Not that I had the chance to use mine."

Judai narrowed his eyes. "How many of you are there?"

Reggie shrugged. "How many Planet series are there? Ten, Judai. There's ten of us in this tournament with Planet series cards. That's five pairs." Flipping through her deck, Reggie took a card and held it out to Judai. "Here. If you can assure me that this won't be used against my kingdom, I'll return it to you."

Judai stared at the card for a moment before reaching out and taking it. "Splendid Venus..." Looking at David, he asked, "What about the other one?"

Reggie looked at David. "You lost. Fork it over."

"I never heard any promise about not using it against us."

Judai rolled his eyes. "Please. As if I need more excitement in my life. Besides, I don't use machines or fairies—I use Elemental Heroes."

Something in his tone had Asuka wondering if there was a Planet series card especially made for Judai—at this point, nothing would surprise her. _What are those cards? Why were they created?_

Reggie and David looked at each other. "Yeah, well, whatever," David said, handing The Big Saturn to him. "Here. I hope you lose in the next match."

Judai grinned. "And I hope _you_ get hit by a bus on the way home."

"Don't get your hopes up," Reggie said with a smile. "I've been hoping for that for years now. Still hasn't happened."

David glared at her. Reggie ignored this and turned to leave. "You two should get ready for your next duel. You're quite the team."

Asuka looked at Judai. "Yeah, I guess. Though it turns out I didn't need his help taking out Saturn."

The hurt look on Judai's face made her think that maybe she shouldn't have said this. She didn't dwell on it, though—when David and Reggie were out of earshot, she had some questions for Judai.

"So, you conveniently left out that your father had a weapon he wanted to use against Misgarth," she said.

"If you're talking about the Planet series, that's not their purpose," Judai answered, his tone dangerous.

Asuka ignored the venom in his voice. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure, Asuka! What, you think we try to pit our allies against us? Although this does explain why Misgarth made that satellite. They think we're after war, so they prepared for it." Judai shook his head. "Ah, the joys of being royalty," he said sarcastically. "You get so many misunderstandings." He looked right at Asuka and finished, "Even with your friends."

Asuka shook her head. "Don't start on that again, J—"

"We should go," he said, turning away. "We won, so we're still in the tournament." He walked up the stairs to the courthouse entrance and grabbed an envelope that had been stuck between the doors, looking inside to see where they were dueling next. "The subway. Huh. That's an interesting place to duel, Misawa," he muttered.

Judai walked off, with Asuka following behind. She still had questions.

"If your father was the one who had those cards made, shouldn't you know their effects?"

Judai shook his head. "I know of their existence, and I know some of their names. I know that there's ten of them: Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto. That's about it."

Asuka got the feeling he wasn't being totally honest with her. "Was one of those ten an Elemental Hero?"

Judai stopped and glared at her. "Why are you so interested in the Planet series? We're supposed to be focused on taking out the Light of Destruction, not uncovering government conspiracies."

"I never said anything about—"

"Yes, you did! When you said that we were the first ones to come up with some sort of weapon to threaten our enemies _and_ our allies!" Judai got up in her face. "Misgarth was our ally at the time that the Planet series was created. I was running around with Prince Ojin, getting both of us in trouble, so I think I would know. The Planet series were created to deal with enemies, and, if you were paying any attention, one of them is perfect for fighting any enemies in _Dark World_."

Asuka backed up a bit. She had never seen Judai this mad before. Then again, she _was _accusing his family of playing dirty and taking advantage of the trust of an ally—a _friend_. Then again, he _had_ taken advantage of her trust and nearly convinced her that he was in love with her, so maybe it ran in the family?

"Well, can you blame me?" Asuka asked, her expression hardened. "You took advantage of my trust, so why would I think you'd hesitate to take advantage of a political opponent's trust?"

Judai slumped. "Good point. Except for one thing: I never took advantage of your trust, Asuka. I told you what really happened that night. You just didn't believe me. Then there's the fact that my father is the one you're accusing. He didn't do anything to you, so drop the conspiracy angle!"

Somehow, the anger in his voice at the end seemed forced. Asuka would have felt sorry for him if he wasn't a lying, cheating player.

"Look, Judai, your excuses don't work on me," she said. "You may have my brother tricked into thinking that you're something you're not, but I know what you are."

"A liar," he muttered. "A cheater. A player. Yeah, Asuka, you aren't the first girl to call me all of those things. In case you haven't noticed, though, you _are _the only one I've tried to make it right with."

"Or you just failed with all of the other ones," Asuka countered.

"No, actually, I'll give you a list, and you can call them all and see if I ever spoke to them again after Rei scared them off."

Asuka shook her head. "You'll stop at nothing to get into my pants, won't you?"

"With all due respect, you aren't wearing pants," Judai said. "And I'm not interested in wearing yours, anyway."

Asuka stared for a moment. "Do you know what that means?" she asked.

"What?" He looked genuinely confused. Asuka got the feeling that maybe he wasn't as perverted as she was thinking he was. After all, he didn't even know what _that_ meant!

"Never mind," she said, shaking her head. "The point is, there's a reason I don't trust you: You broke my trust, and that's something that's a lot harder to fix than it is to break."

Judai rolled his eyes. "Yeah, there are a lot of things that can't be fixed after they've been broken." He turned away, starting off toward their next destination again as he added, "I'm starting to think this friendship is one of them."

Asuka started. "What?"

"Think about it," he said, stopping and turning to her again. "You hate my guts because you think I played you, which I didn't, and you won't believe anything I say, even if it's not about that night. You're coming up with conspiracies about my family and harassing me about them, which is totally tactless and shows how you really feel about me now. I can take a hint, Asuka." His expression, like his voice, was pained. "Once this tournament's over, you'll never have to worry about me again. I'll get out of your life. Because that's clearly what you want."

"No, Judai that's not..."

She trailed off; he wasn't listening anyway. He was heading off to their next duel.

_I don't hate you, Judai,_ Asuka thought. _You hurt me, and that's not something I can forgive easily. But I don't want you out of my life. Why won't you listen to me?_

With a shock, Asuka realized that Judai might be wondering the same thing...if he was really telling the truth about Rei.

"Is it possible that I'm wrong?" she wondered aloud. "Could Judai have been telling the truth?"


	34. Chapter 33

**They're getting longer! Over 4,000 words! Well, another pairing revealed, and some Judai/Asuka moments... I think this chapter's an overall success. (Though the duel may be off...but I don't care anymore XD) Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Alright! We won our first duel! We make a great team, huh, Yubel?" Johan said, turning to his partner.

"Whatever," she said with a shrug. "Don't forget what this tournament is really about, Johan."

"I know, I know. We're doing this to beat the Light of Destruction. But that doesn't mean we can't have fun, right?"

Yubel just shook her head, muttering, "Just like Judai."

The two of them were waiting for their next opponents in the park. Their first duel had been all too easily won, likely because Yubel's deck was designed to end things quickly. It wasn't a strategy Johan usually liked to use, but he could make an exception just this one time. Or for this one person.

"Hey, you're in the tournament, right?" a voice asked, drawing their attention.

The speaker was a girl around their age. Her auburn hair went down to her shoulders, gray eyes looking at them, waiting for an answer. Her partner was a girl with black hair tied in a ponytail. Her eyes were brown. They were both wearing girls' uniforms for Duel Academy, an elite school for duelists—only the best got in there.

"Yeah, we are. I'm Johan Andersen, and this is my partner, Yubel," Johan answered, getting pumped up now. These girls had to be good if they went to Duel Academy.

"I'm Momoe," said the black-haired girl. Was it Johan's imagination, or was she getting kinda flirty? "It's so nice to meet you, Johan!"

"Momoe, focus!" the other said. "We're here to duel them, not make out with him!" Turning to Yubel and Johan, she added, "I'm Junko. Sorry about her—she's boy-crazy."

"I resent that, Junko."

Junko shrugged. "I don't mind," she said. "So, are you two ready to duel?"

"You bet!" Johan said, activating his duel disk.

Yubel glared at Momoe for a second. "Yeah, we're ready. Let's see if you two last more than two rounds."

"Oh, it's on now!" Junko said, determination showing clear on her face as she and Momoe activated their duel disks."

"DUEL!"

* * *

Standing in awkward silence in the subway was not exactly how Asuka had imagined this tournament. The tension in the air was tangible—she could hardly stand it. Judai wouldn't look at her, and she tried to keep her eyes off of him as well.

_Where are our opponents? They should be here by now!_ Asuka really hated this tense, awkward silence. Having had enough of it, she decided to break the silence.

"Judai," she said, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions back there."

"Whatever." He still wasn't looking at her.

"Are you going to act like this for the rest of the tournament?" she asked.

Finally he looked at her. His expression was neutral as he said, "I already told you, I'll get out of your life after this tournament, so you don't need to pretend that you like me. I'd rather stand in awkward silence than have you force conversation with someone you—"

"I don't hate you!" she interrupted.

Judai raised an eyebrow.

"That night on the beach, you hurt me. But I don't hate you. I said we were still friends, didn't I? I don't want to lose your friendship, Judai."

"Is that because I'm a prince?" he asked, his voice harsh.

Asuka couldn't believe he was thinking this. "Why would you ask that?"

"Because you told David that he wanted to be friends with me because I'm the _crown prince of Neo Space._"

Asuka sighed. "Judai, I was just trying to shut David up. He was getting on my nerves. I mean, he was trash-talking us the entire duel, then he had the gall to accuse us of cheating at the end!"

Judai's eyes narrowed as he leaned in toward her. "Your brother was pretty interested in getting you and me together, wasn't he? It's almost like he wanted to make sure you had some control over the kingdom. How do I know you aren't just out to get some assurance that things will go the way you want? What kind of hidden agenda might you have, Asuka Tenjoin?"

"I don't _have_ a hidden agenda! Why would you think that!?"

"Are we interrupting something?"

Judai and Asuka stopped, turning their heads to face the speaker, a man with purple hair. He wore a white shirt, black pants, and a blue jacket—and an amused expression, as though Judai and Asuka were entertaining him with their argument. His tag partner wore the same expression. He had brown hair, mostly hidden under a gray hat, and a brown beard as well. He wore a red shirt, jeans, and a brown coat with fur lining around the collar.

"Are we amusing you?" Judai asked, sarcasm dripping from every word as he straightened up to face the two.

"Actually, yes," the bearded man said, shrugging his shoulders. "It's good to see we aren't the only defective tag team in this tournament."

Judai's eyes narrowed. "We aren't defective," he said, earning a shrug from the bearded man.

"Whatever. I'm Kourimaru. This is Ikazuchimaru."

"I'm Judai. This is Asuka. I take it you're our next opponents?"

"You got that right, kid," said Ikazuchimaru. "And I take it you guys will be an easy win."

"Don't count on it!" Asuka said.

Judai nodded. "We may have our differences, but we have too much at stake in this tournament."

"We know," Kourimaru said. "If you lose, Misgarth's future ruler gets his satellite controls back, and the Light of Destruction wins."

Judai and Asuka looked at each other before directing their attention back to the enemy. "So who's side are you on?" he asked. "Mine or theirs."

"We work for Mizuchi Saiou, so you tell us."

"Mizuchi...Saiou's little sister," Judai muttered. "Heck if I know."

A sigh from Kourimaru. "Wow, you must be an only child, I take it?"

"Uh, yeah, actually. What gave it away?"

Shaking his head, Kourimaru said, "Never mind. Just get ready to duel!" He activated his duel disk.

Judai and Asuka followed suit. "Alright, Kourimaru, Ikazuchimaru. Give us all you got!"

"Oh, don't worry. We were planning on it," Ikazuchimaru said with a smirk.

"DUEL!"

Judai and Asuka: 8000  
Kourimaru and Ikazuchimaru: 8000

"I'll go first!" Judai said, drawing. "I activate Polymerization to fuse the Wildheart and Bladedge in my hand to summon Elemental Hero Wildedge! (Atk 2600) Turn end."

"I'm up!" Kourimaru said as he drew his card. "I'll just play one card face down and end my turn."

"It's my turn now!" Asuka said, drawing her card. "I summon Cyber Tutu in attack mode! (Atk 1000) I play one card face down and end my turn."

"And it's down to me, now," Ikazuchimaru said, drawing a card from his deck. "I'll play two face-downs. It's back to you, Judai."

Judai didn't say anything; he just drew his next card. _No doubt Kourimaru's set up some sort of trap. I mean, all he's got is one face down card!_

"Alright, Kourimaru! I'll bite. Wildedge attacks your Ice Knight!"

Kourimaru smirked. "I activate my trap, Bit Shoot! This lets me summon a Reflector Bit! (Atk/Def: 0)"

As he said, a metal reflector materialized on his field. Wildedge's attack hit this monster, bouncing off it toward Ikazuchimaru.

"Any damage I would take from battles with this card goes to my partner."

"You idiot!" Ikazuchimaru said, "We're sharing life points! I activate my Bit Shoot, too!"

The same monster appeared on his field.

Judai blinked. "So, who takes the damage? Anyone?"

"Yeah," Kourimaru said with a smirk. "You."

"What!?"

Ikazuchimaru said, "If I would take damage because of my partner's Reflector Bit, my opponent takes 500 damage instead."

Judai's eyes widened. "So, then...!"

"Exactly! You're hitting your own life points!"

Judai and Asuka: 7500  
Kourimaru and Ikazuchimaru: 8000

Judai groaned. "Well, that could've gone better."

"You're darned right it could have...for you!" Kourimaru said, drawing his next card. "I summon Ice Knight in defense mode! (1200) That's it for now."

Asuka drew her next card, half her mind focused on the duel and the other half running through the conversation she just had with Judai. "Alright, I'll activate Prima Light, sacrificing my Cyber Tutu to summon Cyber Prima! (Atk 2300) Now I'll attack your Ice Knight!"

Cyber Prima twirled in and destroyed the opposing monster easily. Kourimaru didn't look phased at all.

"Yeah, whatever. You still haven't touched our life points!"

Asuka narrowed her eyes. "That ends my turn, then."

Ikazuchimaru drew his card. "I'll start by summoning Thunder Knight in attack mode. (1300) Then I'll activate Raigeki!"

"What!?" Judai and Asuka exclaimed.

Cyber Prima and Wildedge were both hit by lightning, destroying the two monsters.

"Now, Thunder Knight attacks you directly!"

"I activate Hallowed Life Barrier!" Asuka said. "By discarding one card in my hand, I negate the damage."

Ikazuchimaru shrugged. "Whatever. You're only delaying your defeat. I end my turn."

Judai drew his next card.

"Try not to hit _us_ again, okay, Judai?" Asuka said, still bitter from their unresolved argument.

"I know how to duel, Asuka," he muttered. "I activate Fusion Recovery, adding Polymerization and Wildheart to my hand from my graveyard. Next, I'll activate that Polymerization! This time, I'm fusing Avian and Burstinatrix to summon Flame Wingman!" (Atk 2100)

The monster that appeared was mostly green and black, with a red dragon head where its right arm should be and a dragon tail to match. It had one white wing coming out of the left side of its back.

"Flame Wingman attacks Thunder Knight!"

The hero aimed its dragon head at the opposing monster, shooting flames at it and destroying it easily.

Judai and Asuka: 7500  
Kourimaru and Ikazuchimaru: 7200

"I'll take this moment to activate my trap card: Rope of Life!" Ikazuchimaru said. "By discarding my entire hand, I'll bring back the monster you just destroyed, with 800 more attack points."

Thunder Knight came out of the ground, its attack raised to 2100.

"I play one card face down and end my turn."

"Alright, it's time for me to take the stage!" Kourimaru said. "I activate Monster Reborn to bring back my Ice Knight! (Def 1200) But he won't be around for long, because I'm gonna sacrifice him to summon something a lot more powerful: Mobius the Frost Monarch!" (Atk 2400)

The monster was crystallized, like ice, and dressed in armor. A blue cape hung around its shoulders.

"When Mobius is summoned, I can destroy up to two spell or trap cards on the field. Well, there's only one I need to worry about!" Kourimaru said, pointing at Judai's face-down card. "I'll just get that thing out of the way before I attack."

An icy gust of wind blew Judai's card off the field. "You just sent my Dummy Marker to the graveyard," Judai said, grinning. "Thanks. When you do that, I get to draw one card."

Kourimaru scoffed. "As if that's gonna help you. Mobius attacks your Flame Wingman!"

The frost monarch attacked Flame Wingman, destroying the hero.

Judai and Asuka: 7200  
Kourimaru and Ikazuchimaru: 7200

"That's it for this turn. You're up, girl."

"My name's Asuka," she said firmly as she drew her card. "I activate Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two more cards. Now, I think I'll follow Judai's lead and activate Polymerization! I'll fuse my Blade Skater and my Etoile Cyber to summon Cyber Blader!" (Atk 2100)

"Big deal! That monster's got less attack points than Mobius."

"Wrong," Asuka said, smiling. "When my opponent controls two monsters, Cyber Blader's attack power is doubled!" (Atk 4200)

"No way!"

"Alright!" Judai said, pumping his arm in the air. "Nice move, Asuka!"

Asuka spared him a smile, momentarily forgetting their argument, before turning her attention back to her opponent. "So, Cyber Blader attacks Mobius!"

Asuka's monster spun in and destroyed Mobius with one good kick.

Judai and Asuka: 7200  
Kourimaru and Ikazuchimaru: 5400

Ikazuchimaru glared at his partner. "Way to go! You only had that monster on the field for one turn! _And_ you cost us 1800 life points!"

"Shut up!"

"Since you only control one monster, Cyber Blader's attack points go back down to 2100, but that's still good enough to prevent your Thunder Knight from doing anything. I end my turn."

"You're right about one thing: our monsters attack points are the same, so they'd just destroy each other," Ikazuchimaru said as he drew his card. "No point in them battling it out. But I'm not going to attack you with my Thunder Knight. I activate Pot of Greed. I mean, it worked for you, didn't it?" He drew his cards, glancing at them briefly. "Now, I'll sacrifice my Thunder Knight to summon Zaborg the Thunder Monarch!" (Atk 2400)

The metal giant couldn't have looked less like the last Monarch that had been summoned. It had a yellow robe with black stripes poking out from beneath its armor.

"Like Mobius, Zaborg has a special ability: when he's summoned, I can destroy one monster on the field! So, say goodbye to your Cyber Blader!"

Asuka's monster was struck by lightning, wiping it off the field.

"You do that a lot, you know?" Judai said.

"Yeah, I know. Zaborg, attack them directly!"

Zaborg charged up electricity between its hands, firing it at Asuka and Judai when it had gained enough power.

Judai and Asuka: 4800  
Kourimaru and Ikazuchimaru: 5400

"Oh, you guys are good," Judai admitted. When Asuka looked at him, he was smiling. "This duel's intense! I'm having a blast!"

"Glad to hear. Because, when we win, you two have to come with us to see our boss," Kourimaru said.

Asuka and Judai stared at them, the smile gone from Judai's face. "Why?"

"Because Mizuchi wants a word with you about her brother, that's why. Sheesh, you really are an idiot."

"I resent that."

"You'll resent losing even more," Ikazuchimaru said. "Because you'll have to join the Light Brigade."

"Light Brigade!?" Judai looked from one to the other of them. "Wait...the Light Brigade... You're working for Saiou!"

"Well, yeah, we said that," Kourimaru said. "Mizuchi Saiou. Why would she be against her brother?"

Judai glared at them. "Maybe because he's being possessed by an evil force and he doesn't really want to do any of this? How about that!?"

Ikazuchimaru shrugged. "Whatever. We don't care about any of that. We're just focused on taking you guys out. Those are our orders: defeat the prince of Neo Space. Technically, I think we can just leave the girl."

"Yeah, but what fun would that be?" Kourimaru asked, appraising Asuka. He had a predatory glint in his eye. "We should take her with us, just in case we get bored later."

Asuka was about to say something when Judai exploded, "DON'T EVEN _THINK_ ABOUT TOUCHING HER, YOU BASTARD!" Asuka, stunned, directed her attention to her tag partner. Their opponents had done the same, with Ikazuchimaru looking slightly startled.

Judai drew his card. "It's my turn, and you creeps are going down! I activate Graceful Charity, which lets me draw three cards, then discard two." Judai swapped out the cards in his hand. "I'll also activate Monster Reborn to bring back Asuka's Etoile Cyber! (1200) Next, I'll summon Elemental Hero Sparkman!"(Atk 1600)

A hero clad in a blue and yellow costume, with wing-like attachments on his back, appeared on Judai's field.

"Then, I activate Miracle Fusion, which lets me fuse monsters in my graveyard and on my field by removing them from play. I remove Flame Wingman and Sparkman to summon Shining Flare Wingman!" (Atk 2500)

That was definitely not a misnomer—the monster that Judai summoned was clad in glowing white armor.

"It's already got more attack points than your Zaborg, but why stop there? Shining Flare Wingman gains 300 attack points for every Elemental Hero in my graveyard, and I count 6!"

"I think you miscounted!" Kourimaru protested. "You don't have that many in your graveyard!"

"Why do you think I activated Graceful Charity?" Judai asked, his voice deadly. "I put a couple more in the graveyard then. So, Shining Flare Wingman's attack points are 4300!"

Judai was acting off; this wasn't normal behavior for him, and Asuka knew it. He usually enjoyed his duels, no matter what his opponents said or did. _I guess it's a different story if they threaten his friends,_ she thought, smiling. Sure, she could take care of herself, but it was nice to know Judai cared.

"Aw, man, that's a lot of attack points!" Ikazuchimaru said, sounding slightly nervous.

"You got that right. But things are about to get worse for you. I activate Hero Dice!"

A little dude with a red helmet, wearing a pink die, appeared.

"Here's how it works: I pick an Elemental Hero I control, like Shining Flare Wingman, then roll the die, and the effect is determined by whatever number comes up. Simple, right? So, let's go for it!"

The pink die-hero flew out to the middle of the field, going inside his costume and dropping. When the die landed, it was on four.

Judai smirked. "Four. That means I can destroy one monster you control! I'll think I'll get rid of one of those Reflector Bits!"*****

Kourimaru's Reflector Bit was destroyed, leaving only one on the field.

"Now, Shining Flare Wingman attacks Zaborg the Thunder Monarch!"

Judai's monster rose into the air before firing its attack at the opposing monster, destroying it.

Judai and Asuka: 4800  
Kourimaru and Ikazuchimaru: 3500

"We're still in this! We've got plenty of life left!"

"Shining Flare Wingman deals the attack of the destroyed monster as damage," Judai said. "Did I forget to mention that?"

"What?"

While Kourimaru was still grappling with this fact, Shining Flare Wingman hit them with their fallen monster's attack points as damage, leaving them with a mere 1100 life points.

"We've still got a handful of life points left!" Kourimaru said. "We're still in this duel!"

"You're forgetting something," Judai said. "Etoile Cyber. She's got more than enough attack points to take you out. And no matter who she attacks, you take the damage this time around because you've only got one Reflector Bit on the field."

Ikazuchimaru glared at Kourimaru. "I blame you for this," he said.

"Etoile Cyber, attack them directly!"

Judai and Asuka: 4800  
Kourimaru and Ikazuchimaru: 0

"Tell your boss this: If she sends any more perverts like you after me, they won't be coming back alive!" Judai said, glaring threateningly at Kourimaru. "Got that!?"

Kourimaru looked pretty freaked out, and rightly so, Asuka thought. She had never seen Judai this angry—at least she knew that he cared, no matter what he may have said earlier.

"Get lost before I change my mind and decide that _you_ won't be getting out of here alive!"

Kourimaru turned and ran, Ikazuchimaru following close behind. Judai finally relaxed when they were out of sight.

"Don't you think you might have overreacted, just a bit?" Asuka asked hesitantly.

Judai shook his head. "No way. Sorry. I know you can take care of yourself, but just the idea of them even trying anything..." He clenched his fists, gritting his teeth. "No way I was going to let them get away with even suggesting it!"

Asuka smiled. "Thanks, Judai."

Judai looked away; he was quiet for a moment. After a while, he said, "Hey, I'm sorry about what I said earlier. I guess I'm just under a lot of stress right now. I mean, you've risked your life for me a few times already. Of course you haven't been pretending to be my friend." He smiled at her. "Sorry. Still want to be friends?"

"Of course," Asuka said, relieved. "I'm sorry, too. I shouldn't be so quick to judge..." She paused, thinking about everything that had happened, especially what had happened earlier when he had revealed that he still thought she hated him. Wondering if the same thing might have happened before, she decided to bring up the incident that was causing all of the tension between them. "So, about that night on the beach... Are you serious? Rei isn't your girlfriend?"

"I already told you she wasn't. She just thought I was because of the whole Johan-daring-me-to-kiss-her thing." Judai laughed. "That's the last time I take Johan up on a dare!"

Asuka looked at him, her expression serious. "So, you weren't leading me on... And you said you're in love with someone I know."

He looked at her. "And you've ruled out Yubel. If it's not Rei, your only other hint is that I'm not gay."

Asuka laughed. "Well, if it's not Yubel, and it's not Rei..."

"Then it has to be a certain blond duelist standing right beside me right now?" Judai finished for her.

Asuka wanted so badly to believe him, but it didn't make much sense. "Why would you love me?" she asked. "You're the prince! You can have any girl in the world you want. Why me? I'm a commoner, I don't have anything to offer the kingdom, and I'm sure there are more attractive girls out there of higher standing."

"So? One doesn't choose a marriage partner for politics, and it's not just your body I'm in love with," Judai said, leaning in. "I love everything about you. I love the look on your face when Fubuki's embarrassing you. I love how much you worry about me. I love how you look in that ridiculously skimpy outfit your brother made you wear today." He whispered in her ear, "And, the more time I spend with you, the more I notice about you that drives me crazy."

Asuka was getting goosebumps; all her doubts about his sincerity were gone—his words rang sincere. He was either a really good actor, or he was telling the truth. "I love you, too, Judai," she whispered.

Judai put a finger on her chin, tilting her face toward his own. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear that," he said, his voice barely louder than a whisper. Then, he leaned in and kissed her.

Asuka saw fireworks—she had heard that kisses made sparks, but this was definitely not what she had expected. She joined in the kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. He responded by wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer, deepening the kiss.

They might have gone on forever, if a train hadn't pulled into the station at that moment. Asuka, not wanting to see herself in the tabloids the next day, pulled away. Judai let her go with obvious reluctance.

"We should get going," Asuka said. Her face felt warm, and she knew she must have been blushing horribly. "We're still in the middle of a tournament, and we have another duel coming up."

Judai nodded. "Right. Why don't you tell me where we're going this time?" he said, pointing toward the envelope lying on the ground nearby.

Asuka walked over and picked it up, looking inside. "Oh, that's not even funny," she muttered.

Cocking his head, Judai asked, "What? Where are we dueling?"

"You know the theater in town? The one that's doing productions of _Romeo and Juliet _this week? _That's_ where."

Judai just laughed. Asuka was certain that Fubuki had played some role in making sure they would be dueling there.

"By the way," Judai said. "You're cute when you're blushing."

Which, of course, made her blush again.

* * *

"No!" Momoe cried. "How could we _lose!?_"

Yubel yawned. Johan was sweating—not from exertion, but from the fact that it had been so easy to defeat these Duel Academy girls. _Maybe the school's not as great as I heard it was?_

"Well, it could have been the fact that all _you _did was defend with weak monsters, while your partner hardly played any better," Yubel said, not looking at the girls. "Honestly, you two are the dueling _elite_? I've faced kindergarteners tougher than you!"

"Yubel, let's be nice, okay?" Johan asked.

Junko humphed. "Whatever." She turned to her partner. "It's okay, Momoe. We did our best. I guess you won't be marrying the prince, is all."

Johan started, turning to the two girls, and asked, "Wait, you were going to ask Judai to _marry _you?"

"He said the prize was anything within his power to grant," Momoe said, looking slightly upset. "But I guess it wasn't meant to be."

"You're darned right it wasn't," Yubel said. "He's in love with someone else." She mumbled something that sounded a great deal like "not me."

Getting a little nervous now, Johan asked, "What makes you say that, Yubel?"

"I've seen the way Judai looks at Asuka." Yubel waved her hand dismissively. "It's obvious he likes her more than he does me."

"Asuka?" Momoe and Junko asked together. "Asuka Tenjoin?"

Johan and Yubel looked back at the girls. "I take it you know her?" Johan asked.

Momoe giggled. "Oh, if the prince is in love with Asuka, then I'm glad we lost! Just think about it, Junko! Asuka as the queen of Neo Space!"

"Asuka's been a friend of ours for years," Junko said. "She was Momoe's neighbor growing up. I never imagined her marrying the prince, though." Shrugging, she said, "I guess anything's possible."

"Well," Momoe said, "we won't keep you. You two won fair and square, so you have another duel to get to!"

"Right!" Johan said, running off.

"Johan!" Yubel called after him as she grabbed the envelope with their next location. "You idiot! You don't even know where you're going yet!"

Momoe and Junko watched the two run off. "Is it just me," Momoe said, "or do they make a cute couple?"

Junko sighed. "Momoe, you really _are_ a hopeless romantic."

***I have hardly any idea how this card works and only a vague memory from the anime, but we're going to say I got it right, at least for this duel. SCREW THE RULES, I'M AN AMATEUR DUELIST! XD And had too much caffeine today haha.**

**Review please! And, if I did mess up in the duel anywhere, let me know. I appreciate being told when I'm wrong because it makes it so I can get it right in the future. I hate messing up...haha, the curse of perfectionists everywhere.**


	35. Chapter 34

**Here's the next chapter! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

**WARNING: OCs**

Karen the crocodile wandered around, spooking any and all passersby simply by being there. Jim watched from nearby, making sure nobody got the wrong idea and called the zoo to report a lose animal.

Jim and O'Brien were on Main Street, waiting outside of the library for their next opponents. While their decks may not have been very complimentary, the two made them work well together—they seemed to read each others minds. In Jim's case, he probably could because of his Eye of Orichalcum.

As Karen nipped playfully at a startled man's ankles, Jim looked at O'Brien. "So, we haven't seen any Light Drones yet. You think there are any in this tournament? I mean, besides Saiou, of course."

"I'd bet on it," O'Brien answered. "There's no way Saiou would enter this alone. He needs those satellite controls, so he's got to have at least one other team in on this."

Jim nodded. "That makes sense." Looking down the street, he saw two people approaching with duel disks on their arms. "Oi, I think our opponents have finally arrived."

O'Brien looked—the duelists heading their way were both attractive young women. One of them had purple hair braided down her back. She was wearing white pants, a white shirt, and white tennis shoes. The other was basically the opposite—her blond hair was cut short, and she was dressed in a tight black dress, with black heels.

"Crikey," Jim whispered. "G'day, sheilas!" he called to the two ladies. "The name's Jim Cook. You wouldn't happen to be duelists in today's tournament, would you?"

"Actually, we would," the blond said. "You're our opponents?"

O'Brien nodded. "I'm Austin O'Brien."

The purple-haired girl smiled seductively. "You look pretty strong, Austin O'Brien," she said. "I like strong men. I'm Haruko. This is Akiko."*****

"Let's get on with this, then," O'Brien said. Jim bit back a laugh—his friend looked a little uncomfortable, which was funny in its own way.

_A mercenary who's afraid of a pretty face,_ Jim thought wryly as Karen came over.

"Ah!" Haruko jumped back. "Akiko, there's a crocodile at your feet!"

Akiko looked down at Karen; she didn't seem phased. "Hey, there," she said, kneeling down. "Where did you come from?"

"That's Karen," Jim said, smiling at the blond girl. "She's my friend.

Akiko smiled up at Jim. "Well, it's good to know not everyone's afraid of a little crocodile," she said, casting a teasing look at her partner.

"Excuse me!?"

"But enough about us. It's time we get on with this duel."

"Right!" Jim said. He and O'Brien activated their duel disks.

"Don't hold back just because we're girls!" Haruko said.

Jim tipped his hat. "Wouldn't dream of it, sheila."

"DUEL!"

Jim and O'Brien: 8000  
Akiko and Haruko: 8000

"Ladies first, if you don't mind, gentlemen!" said Akiko as she drew her first card. "I summon Lion Alligator in attack mode!" (1900)

An alligator with two rows of spikes running down its back, yellow eyes, and an orange mane appeared on the field.

"That's it for me this turn."

"I'll go next!" Jim said as he drew his card. "I summon Shell Knight in defense mode! (2000) When this monster's summoned, it inflicts 500 points of damage to my opponent!"

"But that's not fair!" Haruko whined as Shell Knight's ability robbed them of 500 life points. "I haven't even had one turn yet!"

Jim and O'Brien: 8000  
Akiko and Haruko: 7500

"Don't worry, sheila." Jim tipped his hat. "You'll have plenty of time to show us what you've got up your sleeves. Turn end."

"Oh, I'm up!" Haruko said, drawing her card. "Alright, I activate Excavation Work! By sending one card in my hand to the graveyard, I get to draw one more! Next, I'll summon Synthesize Sphere!" (Atk 1000)

A creature with a spherical body appeared on the field. It had legs, wings, and a long neck sticking out of its round body.

"When this monster is summoned, I can special summon a level 4 or lower Sphere monster from my graveyard!"

Jim smiled. "And, if I had to guess, I'd say you just sent one to the grave with that spell of yours, right?"

"Exactly! So, say 'hello' to my little friend, Air Sphere!" (Def 300)

The tiny little monster looked like a chubby bird trapped in a bubble.

"While this monster's on the field with another Sphere monster, none of your monsters can attack! So, I'll end my turn with that."

O'Brien drew his card, taking in the situation. It was only the first turn, and these girls already had a decent defense set up. No worries, though. He had just the cards in his hand to tear down that defense.

"I activate my Blaze Accelerator!" he said. A sort of cannon appeared on his field. Jim grinned, understanding what O'Brien was up to. "This card lets me send a pyro-type monster with 500 or less attack from my hand to the graveyard to destroy one of your monsters. Though, in exchange, I can't engage in battle this turn." He shrugged. "Not that I could have anyway. It's the first turn of a tag duel."

"Whaaat!?" Haruko whined, looking a bit panicked.

"I'll send Volcanic Shell to my graveyard to destroy your Air Sphere!"

Volcanic Shell was loaded into the cannon, which fired at the little sphere monster, destroying it. Haruko let out another whine.

"That's not all! When Volcanic Shot is in the graveyard, I can pay 500 life points to add another one from my deck to my hand."

Jim and O'Brien: 7500  
Akiko and Haruko: 7500

"Are you allowed to do that again!?" Haruko asked.

"Why wouldn't I be? You still have two monsters on your field. So, I'll use this next one to get rid of Lion Alligator!"

Again, O'Brien's monster was fired out of the cannon, this time destroying the gator. Akiko glared at him.

"Now, I'll play a card face down and end my turn."

Akiko drew her card, saying, "Well, it's about time!" She glanced at her card, then continued, "If that's how you want to play, then I'll summon my Reptia Egg in defense mode!" (0)

Three eggs—that's all that was on Akiko's field.

"Then I'll toss down a couple of face-downs and end my turn. It's back to you, big guy."

"I draw!" Jim said. "I summon Flint Cragger! (Atk 800) Now, pay close attention, ladies. By sending this monster to the graveyard, I can inflict 500 points of damage to your life points!"

"More direct damage!?" Haruko complained.

Jim and O'Brien: 7500  
Akiko and Haruko: 7000

"You're really starting to get on my nerves!" Haruko yelled. "I mean, seriously!"

"Sorry," Jim said, shrugging. "Anyway, I'll play one card face down and end my turn."

Haruko drew her card, a determined look on her face. "I'm not letting you win this duel! Alright! I'll sacrifice my Synthesize Sphere to summon Troposphere!" (Atk 2400)

The monster that appeared was a blue bird-man, dressed in white clothes with gold trim. It had black armbands on its forearms.

"Well, these monsters of yours just get more and more interesting, Haruko," Jim said.

Haruko smiled. "If you think this is impressive, you should see my ultimate card. Anyway, Troposphere attacks your Shell Knight!"

The bird-man flew into the air, preparing an attack.

"Not so fast!" Jim said. "I activate my trap card, Sakuretsu Armor! When an enemy monster declares an attack, this card destroys the attacking monster."

"That would be true...if not for Troposphere's ability. You see, Troposphere isn't hurt by trap cards, so you just wasted a trap!"

As Jim's trap card was wiped off the field, completely useless, Jim shielded his face from the attack Troposphere launched at his Shell Knight.

"Nicely played, sheila," Jim complimented.

Haruko giggled. "Thank you. I play two cards face down and end my turn."

"Then it's my turn," O'Brien said, drawing his next card. "I summon Fire Trooper!" (Atk 1000)

A fiendish-looking, black and purple creature materialized on O'Brien's field, its head and hands on fire.

"When I summon this card, I can send it to the graveyard to deal you 1000 points of damage."

"What is it with you guys and direct damage!?" Haruko demanded.

As Fire Trooper vanished from the field, it burned away 1000 of the girls' life points, taking those points with it.

Jim and O'Brien: 7500  
Akiko and Haruko: 6000

Haruko stamped her foot. "Enough with the direct damage already! Stop avoiding our monsters and actually attack them for once!"

"Don't worry, Haruko," Akiko said calmly. "We aren't out of this duel yet. Remember our secret weapons."

Jim raised an eyebrow. "Secret weapons, eh? I'd like to see those!"

"If your friend over there is done with his turn, I'd be happy to get on with my move."

"I end my turn," O'Brien said.

Akiko winked. "Well, big guy, thanks for that. It's back to me, then!" She drew her card. "This is a tag duel, so it's technically been two turns since I put my Reptia Egg out on the field. After this card's been on the field for two turns, I can sacrifice it to summon three little reptile babies. So, day care's open! I special summon Alligator Baby! Three of them!" (Def 100)

The three eggs cracked open, with little baby alligators crawling out of them. Each baby had a pacifier in its mouth.

"Aren't they just adorable?" Akiko said. "But they won't be around for long." She turned to her partner. "Mind if I borrow Troposphere?"

Haruko smiled. "Hey, what's mine is yours!"

"Alright! I'll sacrifice all three of my monsters, plus Troposphere makes four!"

"What kind of monster takes four sacrifices!?" O'Brien asked.

"The kind that has a special ability if summoned with four sacrifices, that's what kind! Say 'hello' to Dark Alligator!" (Atk 2500)

It was a dark alligator, alright. It didn't have any legs, but it did have two additional heads where its front legs should have been.

"And that ability I mentioned? If this monster's summoned with four sacrifices, I can summon two Alligator Tokens as well!" (Atk 2000)

The extra heads on Dark Alligator elongated, becoming full alligators as they broke away from the original monster.

"Crikey, that's some monster you've got there, Akiko," Jim said, sweating slightly. "Three powerful monsters for the price of one...I'm impressed."

"You should be, Jim," Akiko said, flashing him a smile. "I mean, you and your partner over there have a total of no monsters between the two of you, thanks to Haruko over here."

"Thank you, thank you," Haruko said, bowing like she was standing before an adoring audience.

Akiko looked at O'Brien's face down card. "And I doubt that's going to be much of a threat to me, since I've got three monsters on the field right now. So, I think I'll go for it! Dark Alligator attacks you directly!"

"I activate my trap card, Firewall!" O'Brien said, revealing his face-down card. "When you declare a direct attack, I can negate it by removing one pyro-type monster in my graveyard from play. I'll remove Volcanic Shell to negate Dark Alligator's attack."

"Then I'll attack with one of my Alligator Tokens," Akiko said. "Really, all I've got to do is exhaust your supply of pyro-type monsters."

"I'll remove my other Volcanic Shell to negate that attack."

"Might as well remove Fire Trooper, too," Akiko said, sounding bored. "I attack with both tokens."

O'Brien narrowed his eyes slightly. "Fire Trooper isn't a pyro-type monster. That attack actually goes through."

"Oh. Well, in that case, Alligator Token, attack them directly!"

The alligator snapped at them, robbing them of 2000 life points.

Jim and O'Brien: 5500  
Akiko and Haruko: 6000

"Now, I'll give you boys a chance to summon something. Turn end."

Jim drew his next card. "Alright, I'll activate Fossil Fusion! This lets me fuse monsters in mine and my opponent's graveyards to summon a new monster. So, I'll remove my Flint Cragger and Haruko's Air Sphere to summon my Fossil Warrior Skullpawn!" (Atk 2000)

A petrified, skeletal creature with a trident made of bones attached to its arm, Skullpawn was no match for Dark Alligator, as Akiko was quick to point out.

"Is that supposed to impress me, Jimmy?" she asked. "Honestly, it's weaker than my Dark Alligator, and it's attack points are the same as both of my tokens. That's not going to help you much."

"You have a point, Akiko," Jim admitted. "Which is why I'm activating my Time Stream! By paying half my life points, I can swap Skullpawn out for a more powerful monster! So, Skullpawn evolves to Fossil Warrior Skullknight!" (Atk 2400)

Skullpawn morphed into a skeletal knight with brown, fossilized armor and a blue cape. He carried a sword in his right hand.

Akiko raised an eyebrow. "Okay, I'm slightly more impressed. Though it's still weaker than Dark Alligator."

"I know. But Skullknight has a special ability: it can attack twice if you have a monster on the field after its first attack!"

"What!?"

"Skullknight, attack her Alligator Token!"

"Not so fast, mister!" Akiko said. "I activate my face down trap card, Snare! This negates your attack and prevents your monster from attacking or switching positions for three turns."

"I summon Uluru's Guardian in defense mode and play one card face down. That ends my turn."

"It's back to me, then!" Haruko said, drawing her card from her deck. "You've got a level six monster on the field, so I'll start by special summoning my Breeze Sphere in defense mode!" (Def 1000)

A tiny little bird carrying a sphere that was about the same size as it was materialized on Haruko's field.

"Now, because I special summoned Breeze Sphere, I activate my trap card, Atmospheric Transmission! This lets me special summon a level four or lower Sphere monster from my deck. I choose Transforming Sphere!" (Atk 100)

Another bird-man, this one holding a sphere in its clawed hands, materialized on Haruko's field.

"But neither of these monsters will be around for long. As you may have noticed, I still haven't normal summoned this turn."

Akiko smirked. Jim was getting a bad feeling about what Haruko was about to summon.

"Are you boys ready to see my ultimate card, my secret weapon!?" She paused dramatically. "Well, get ready for the most powerful card in my entire deck! I sacrifice my Breeze Sphere and my Transforming Sphere to summon The Suppression Pluto!" (Atk 2600)

It was a black, fiendish-looking monster. Jim wasn't sure how to describe it, exactly. It had claws and horns and black tendrils attached to it. A powerful aura resonated from it. One thing was certain: that was _not_ a Sphere monster.

"What is that!?"

"This is Pluto, one of the Planet series. These cards were developed here in Neo Space, but their purpose is yet unknown," Haruko answered. "Our boss's father had reason to believe that these cards were meant to be used against him, so he had them swiped a few years back. Now, our boss has entrusted this one to me, and I'm going to use it to defeat you."

"Wait, are you saying that the Supreme King had a series of cards created as weapons?"

Akiko shrugged. "Well, that's the word in Misgarth, anyway."

"Misgarth," O'Brien said, narrowing his eyes. "You two work for Prince Ojin, then?"

"You got it, handsome," Haruko answered. "Don't take this personally. We're only following orders. I activate my other trap card, Eye of Truth! Both of you have to show me your hands, and every card you draw for the rest of the duel."

Jim and O'Brien turned their hands, showing Haruko what cards they were holding.

"Alright, then. Now, Pluto has a special effect. I name a card, and, if that card happens to be in my opponent's hand, I gain control of one of your cards! Since I've seen your hands, I'll go out on a limb here and say that O'Brien's holding Burial from a Different Dimension. So, since I'm right, I'll be taking that Skullknight of yours, Jim! I mean, it may be immobilized right now, but it'll really come in handy soon. Right, Akiko?"

"Oh, you bet it will, Haruko."

"And that does it for me. You're up, O'Brien."

O'Brien drew his next card, showing it to Haruko. _Alright. I've got to make this turn count!_

"At this moment, because you have a spell card in your hand, the Eye of Truth gives you 1000 life points," Haruko said.

Jim and O'Brien: 6500  
Akiko and Haruko: 6000

"I'll start by summoning Volcanic Blaster in defense mode! (600) Then, I'll play one card face down and end my turn."

Akiko shook her head with a tisk. "And I thought you were going to do something useful. I guess that Blaze Accelerator isn't too helpful right now, is it?" She drew her next card. "Alright, boys! You wanted to see our secret weapons, didn't you? Well, here's mine! I sacrifice my Dark Alligator and the two Alligator Tokens to summon The Tyrant Neptune!" (Atk 0)

A reptilian creature clad in armor, it had four legs visible beneath the armor and an alligator tail, with two arms on its torso. It held a scythe in its hands, and its head was a mass of darkness with yellow eyes.

"Neptune's special effect: its attack is equal to the sum of the attack values of the sacrifices. The same goes for its defense, but why would it be defending? 2000 points from both Alligator Tokens, plus another 2500 from Dark Alligator gives Neptune a total of 6500 attack points!"

Jim was starting to wish he hadn't told them he wanted to see these secret weapons of theirs. "Why would the Supreme King have cards like that created?" he mused. It didn't make much sense—these cards were powerful, and Jim had the feeling they could be dangerous in the wrong hands.

"Maybe your king's power-hungry," Akiko suggested. "I mean, these cards are pretty darned tough, and you're only up against two of them. Imagine if you were facing all ten of them!"

"Yeah," Haruko chimed in. "Your living under the rule of a man who isn't satisfied with ruling Neo Space, but needs to rule all twelve dimensions. He'll stop at nothing to reach that goal! And that kid of his is just going to continue his legacy."

"That's enough!" Jim yelled. "You don't know what you're talking about! I can't say what's going on in the king's mind, but don't try telling me that Judai wants to rule everything!"

"Because he's your prince?" Akiko asked.

"Because he's my friend!" Jim answered. "I've known him long enough to know he's not what you seem to think he is, Akiko. Why don't you try getting to know him before you go making judgments about his character?"

Akiko shrugged. "Alright, Jim, I'll make you a deal. If you win, we'll give you these Planet series cards our king swiped from your king, and I'll take the time to get to know your..._friend_. If Haruko and I win, then I'll take it as a sign that your royal family really is corrupt and power-hungry, and we'll carry out our orders. Sound good?"

Jim narrowed his eye. "I'll take you up on that, Akiko. Mark my words, we _won't_ lose!"

"You've as good as lost already, Jim! How are you going to take out our monsters?" She waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, it's really besides the point, anyway. Neptune attacks Uluru's Guardian."

Neptune raised its scythe, bringing it down over the rock monster and slicing it in half.

"That's it for me this turn. Go ahead, Jim. I'd like to see how you plan to get out of this one."

Jim drew his next card, knowing that he couldn't afford to lose this duel. A friend's reputation—and safety, from the sound of things—were at stake!

"Alright. I draw," Jim said, showing his new card to Haruko, "and we gain 1000 life points because of your Eye of Truth."

Jim and O'Brien: 7500  
Akiko and Haruko: 6000

"Next, I'll remove Shell Knight and Uluru's Guardian from the game to summon Gaia Plate the Earth Giant!" (Atk 2800)

The ground split, and a giant stone golem came out of the earth, placing itself on Jim's field.

"Gaia attacks Pluto!"

Jim's monster lifted a huge stone fist, pounding it into the ground and causing an earthquake that wiped the opposing monster off the field.

"That's not even close to fair!" Haruko shrieked.

"If you think that was unfair, you should check your life point counter."

"What?" She glanced down at her life counter, her jaw dropping.

Jim and O'Brien: 7500  
Akiko and Haruko: 4500

"How did our life points drop that much!? There was only a 200-point difference!"

"Gaia cuts the attack of any monster it battles in half."

Akiko sighed. "Well played, Jim. You took out Pluto, and dealt us a fair amount of damage with one move. Still, cutting Neptune's attack in half won't help you much."

"I know that," Jim said. "I'll let O'Brien handle that one." He looked at Haruko. "By the way, what happens to my Skullknight now that the only reason you can control it is gone?"

Haruko blanked. "Uh..."

Akiko sighed. "She's an idiot. Don't ask her. She hardly knows what any cards in her deck do! It goes back to you, Jim. It's your card, after all. But keep in mind that it still can't do anything because of my Snare—it's effect doesn't wear off until your next turn."

"It's your turn, Haruko," Jim said.

Haruko drew her card, looking close to tears. "Alright. I'll activate Monster Reborn to bring back my Transforming Sphere! (Def 100) Then I'll play one card face down and end my turn."

O'Brien drew his card. "Your Eye of Truth is really backfiring, isn't it? We gain another 1000 life points because of it."

Jim and O'Brien: 8500  
Akiko and Haruko: 4500

"Next, I'll send my Blaze Accelerator to the graveyard in exchange for my Tri-Blaze Accelerator! It works a lot like my Blaze Accelerator does. So, I'll send my Volcanic Scattershot to the graveyard to destroy Haruko's Transforming Sphere!"

The three-headed bullet was loaded into the cannon, which fired at and destroyed Transforming Sphere.

Haruko let out an annoyed sigh. "Somehow, I knew you'd do that. I activate my trap card, Atmospheric Regeneration! When a Sphere monster on my field is destroyed, I can summon a level four or lower Sphere from my graveyard! So, Breeze Sphere is coming back!" (Def 1000)

"Nothing to worry about. Obviously, neither of you have anything that could prevent me from destroying Neptune," O'Brien said calmly. "And your trap isn't going to help you much, Haruko."

"You didn't destroy Neptune, though!" Akiko protested.

"The effect of my Tri-Blaze Accelerator deals you two 500 damage in addition to destroying your monster. Also, the effect of Volcanic Scattershot deals you an additional 500 points of damage when it's sent to the graveyard," O'Brien said, ignoring Akiko.

Jim and O'Brien: 8500  
Akiko and Haruko: 3500

"You still haven't destroyed Neptune! You'll lose when my turn comes along! I'll make sure of that!"

"Volcanic Scattershot's other effect: when it's used in conjunction with a Blaze Accelerator card, I can send two more Scattershots from my deck or hand to the graveyard to destroy all the monsters on your field. And don't forget their other effect: you take 500 points of damage for each of them."

The Tyrant Neptune was blasted off of the field, leaving Akiko and Haruko wide open.

Jim and O'Brien: 8500  
Akiko and Haruko: 2500

"Oh, you two!" Akiko fumed.

"I'll end my turn."

"Draw!" Akiko looked at her card, staring blankly at her hand. "...I end my turn."

Jim raised his eyebrow. "Hand trouble?"

"You guys have me beat. What can I say?"

Jim drew his next card, gaining 1000 life points because of the Eye of Truth, then said, "In that case, Gaia attacks you directly!"

Jim and O'Brien: 9500  
Akiko and Haruko: 0

Akiko rubbed the back of her head. "Well, you guys win. I can't believe you took out Neptune so easily."

Jim raised an eyebrow. "Akiko, you had a card face down for most of that duel, but you never used it. Why?"

"It was just in case you attacked my Reptia Egg. You didn't, so it wound up being a throwaway card."

"I can't believe we lost!" Haruko whined. "How did we lose!?"

"I guess this is a hint that we shouldn't judge the Neo-Spacian prince based on his father's actions. Alright, Jim, as we agreed, you can have Neptune and Pluto. Return them to your prince. And I'll take the time to get to know him. Who knows, maybe I've been wrong about him all this time. Maybe he's a decent guy."

Jim laughed. "Trust me, spend a few days with Judai, and you'll have a whole new opinion on the bloke."

Akiko smiled. "Yeah, maybe. So, I guess I'll see you around, Jim." She looked down at Karen and added, "Later, Karen."

Akiko turned to leave. "Wait!" Jim said.

"Yeah?" Akiko asked, turning her head slightly.

"Well, it's not going to be easy to get to know Judai, what with him being a prince and all. So, I was thinking you and I should hang out sometime. It would give you a reason to get closer to Judai. You know, so you can keep up your end of the deal."

Akiko smiled. "Yeah, Jim. I'd like that." Pulling out a notepad and a pen, she scribbled something down and handed the paper to him. "My number. Call me sometime. We can set up a date then."

Jim didn't stop blushing until she was out of sight.

O'Brien raised an eyebrow, looking at Jim. "I take it you've fallen for the enemy?"

"Hey, maybe she's not the enemy," Jim said with a shrug. "I mean, those girls seemed nice enough. Though Haruko's a bit...well..."

"Say no more. I know what you mean. I just hope for your sake that Judai doesn't find out you're using his misfortune to pick up girls."

Jim just laughed.

***Akiko means autumn child. Haruko means spring child.**


	36. Chapter 35

**Sorry about the long wait! I had to get my GX manga back from Shadgirl2 for a bit, and then I got lazy over Thanksgiving break, but I'm back now! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Manjoume gaped. He didn't understand how this girl kept doing it, but she went from getting her butt kicked to kicking people's butts. "Ai, that's the third time in a row I've thought we'd lose...and that was the third duel of the tournament!"

"Oh, Jun, darling, don't worry so much!" Ai said. "I know how to duel, silly!"

Manjoume just stared at her for a moment before saying, "Yeah, okay. Let's go get something to eat."

"Ooh, a _date_!?"

"No, you idiot!"

Ai laughed, taking the insult as shyness on Manjoume's part. "It's okay, Jun. You don't need to be shy."

Manjoume rolled his eyes. _This girl really _is_ an idiot..._

* * *

"Okay, let's get this over with!" Asuka said, storming up to the theater.

"Asuka, we can't do anything until our opponents arrive. Sheesh, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you didn't want to be here." That last statement was sarcastic.

"Funny, Judai."

Looking at the note telling them where they would be dueling, Judai said, "Well, you're not quite there yet, anyway. We're dueling on the stage."

"Oh, come on!"

"Hey, at least it doesn't say 'dressed as Romeo and Juliet,'" he teased.

Asuka pursed her lips. "Again, funny, Judai."

When the two of them entered the actual theater, they saw people in costume on the stage. "Well, it looks like there's something going on here already,"Asuka said, relieved.

"No, wait. They're wearing duel disks!" Judai said. "Hey!" he called. "Are you guys in the tournament?"

They turned. "Why, yes we are. I take it you're our opponents?"

The speaker was a woman; she wore a blue dress with a long, flowing skirt, a low-cut neckline, and the sleeves off her shoulders. Her blond hair was braided down her back, and her eyes were stormy gray.

Her partner was wearing tights—and he was a man. When Robin Hood had been added to the play _Romeo and Juliet _was anyone's guess, but this guy was definitely dressed as Robin Hood, wearing Lincoln green clothes, a hat with a feather, and a queue of arrows slung over his shoulder. His duel disk, Judai suddenly realized, greatly resembled a bow.

"Yeah, we are. Uh, are you two actors, or something?" Judai asked.

"Yes, we are," Robin Hood said. "What gave it away?"

"You're wearing Lincoln green..."

"And tights," Asuka added.

The man laughed. "Why, yes, I suppose that _would_ give it away, wouldn't it? I'm Rob."

"Is that why you're dressed as Robin Hood?" Judai asked.

"Yes, it is, actually," Rob answered, rubbing the back of his head. "This is Mariana."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Judai, and this is Asuka."

Mariana raised her eyebrow. "Judai? As in, _prince_ Judai? Well, Rob, this is going to be an interesting duel."

Rob rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Aye. That it will be, Mariana."

Blinking, Judai said, "Uh, you're not going to speak in old English during this duel, are you?"

"That I will, varlet. That I will."

"What's a varlet?"

Asuka sighed. "Don't worry about it, Judai. Just focus on beating them."

"Rob, don't make me smack you," Mariana said, obviously annoyed. "I apologize. He's getting ready for his upcoming role in Robin Hood. _That's_ why he dressed like an idiot—and talking like one."

"Oh, don't be so cruel, Mariana!"

Asuka couldn't help but notice some similarities between these two and some people she knew. _No way..._

"...Anyway, let's duel!" Judai said.

Judai and Asuka: 8000  
Mariana and Rob: 8000

"Well, ladies first," Rob said, gesturing to Asuka.

Asuka drew her first card. "I summon Cyber Blader in attack mode!" (1400)

A purple-skinned figure skater with blades attached to her forearms appeared on Asuka's field.

"Then I'll play one card face down and end my turn."

"Since you said 'ladies first' Rob, I'll go next!" Mariana said as she drew her card. "I activate Forbidden Mantra! Then, I'll summon my Forbidden Beast Boa Booran!" (Atk 1700)

A reptilian creature with what looked like a dragon skull on its head appeared on the field. It had two legs and no arms.

"Forbidden Beasts, huh?" Judai said, smiling. "I've never seen cards like that before."

"Well, they are kind of rare in Neo Space. They come from Misgarth."

Judai sighed. "Are we ever going to duel someone who isn't working for Ojin?" he asked. "Really, it's just getting old now. Does that mean you guys have some of the Planet series cards, too?"

Rob raised an eyebrow. "Planet series? Well, if we did, we wouldn't be telling you, now would we?"

"I end my turn," Mariana said.

Judai drew his card. "I summon Clayman in defense mode! (2000) That does it for me. Turn end."

"It's my turn!" Rob said dramatically. "I draw!" He glanced at his card, then said, "I send Vision Hero Increase from my hand to the graveyard to special summon Vision Hero Farris!" (Atk 1600)

A brown and white metal hero posed dramatically as it materialized on Rob's field.

"Wait, you use Heroes?" Judai asked.

"You bet I do! But mine are different from yours, don't worry. Now, for Farris's special ability! When this monster's summoned, I can send one Vision Hero from my deck to my graveyard."

"Wait, what?" Judai asked.

"Why would you want to do that?" Asuka asked.

"You'll see. I'll leave it at that for now. Your draw, lady Asuka."

Asuka drew her card, wondering if this guy realized that dueling and the Middle Ages hadn't exactly gone hand in hand. "I activate Polymerization to fuse my Cyber Blader with the Etoile Cyber in my hand! This lets me summon Cyber Blader! (Atk 2100) When my opponent controls two monsters, my Cyber Blader's attack power is doubled!" (Atk 4200)

Rob crossed his arms, smirking slightly. "Well, my fair Asuka, that is quite impressive. However, tis not enough to defeat I, Sir Rob, and my lady Mariana!"

Sighing, Mariana said, "Rob, enough with the bad acting already! Your accent is horrible, and so is 'ye olde English.'"

Asuka ignored this odd little exchange, feeling too much like she was looking in a mirror when she looked at Mariana. "Cyber Blader attacks Vision Hero Farris!"

Asuka's Cyber Blader attacked the hero, destroying it. Rob and Mariana shielded their faces.

Judai and Asuka: 8000  
Mariana and Rob: 5400

Rob lowered his arms, smirking again. "Well, now things are gonna get exciting," he said. "Are you ready for this!? I activate my Vision Hero Minimum Ray's effect! See, when this card's in the graveyard and I take damage, I can add this card to my spell and trap card zone! Of course, Minimum Ray is the one I sent to the graveyard with Farris's effect."

A helmet appeared in the spell and trap zone of Rob's field. Asuka eyed it warily, wondering what tricks Rob had up his sleeve. Judai narrowed his eyes—the only other monster cards he knew of with effects even remotely similar to those were Johan's Crystal Beasts.

"With only one monster on your field, Cyber Blader's attack points return to their original. Turn end," Asuka said.

"Then it's back to me," said Mariana as she drew her card. She barely spared it a glance before saying, "Because Forbidden Mantra is on my field, I can special summon my Forbidden Beast Nunurao!" (Atk 500)

A worm-like creature with white armor on its chest, a white tip on its tail, and white armor on its head materialized on the field.

"But this guy won't be around for long! You guys obviously aren't planning on holding back at all, so let me introduce you to something you'll regret having met! I sacrifice my Boa Booran and Nunurao to summon The Despair Uranus!" (Atk 2900)

A huge sphere appeared on her field. Its face was set in the center of what looked like some sort of giant eye. In Judai's opinion, this thing greatly resembled a giant eyeball.

"Uranus has a special ability—it gains 300 attack points for each card face up on my field! I have Forbidden Mantra, so that gives Uranus 300 more points! (Atk 3200) Now, Uranus attacks Cyber Blader!"

The creature made a move toward Asuka's monster, but Asuka reacted quickly. "I activate Doble Passe! This turns Uranus's attack into a direct attack on me! In exchange, my Cyber Blader gets to attack you directly!"

The Despair Uranus fired an attack at Asuka, dealing her and Judai's life points a huge blow, right before Cyber Blader twirled in and attacked Mariana, reducing her and Rob's life points even further.

Judai and Asuka: 4800  
Mariana and Rob: 3300

"Since we took damage," Rob said, "I summon Increase from my graveyard to my Spell and Trap card zone!"

Mariana smiled. "Not bad, Asuka. Not bad. I mean, it's only the second turn, and you've already got us on the run. I end my turn."

Judai drew his next card, glancing at it before saying, "I summon Neo-Spacian Flare Scarab!" (Atk 500)

A scarab beetle appeared on Judai's side of the field in a burst of fire.

"Next, I activate Fake Hero! This lets me special summon one monster from my hand, but it can't attack and it returns to my hand during the end phase. So, say 'hello' to Elemental Hero Neos!" (Atk 2500)

A white, muscular hero with red and blue markings on its body appeared beside the scarab.

"What good is that going to do you?" Rob asked.

"A monster that can't attack and returns to your hand during the end phase... It's a pretty useless move, if you ask me."

Judai grinned. "Yeah, but I didn't ask you, did I?" He pumped his fist and continued, "Neos is the hero of this world of ours! Along with the Neo-Spacians, he defends our planet from the Light of Destruction! And they have a special power that helps them do just that!" Looking at his monsters, he said, "Neos! Flare Scarab! Contact Fusion!"

"Contact..." Mariana started.

"Fusion!?"

Asuka watched as Neos and Flare Scarab flew up into the air, making contact and disappearing in a flash of light. The creature that emerged from that light was black and red with wings and green eyes.

"Elemental Hero Flare Neos!" (Atk 2500) Judai grinned. "Well, what do you think? Cool, huh?"

Mariana crossed her arms. "And here I was worried. That thing's got less attack points than Uranus! It's nothing to worry about."

"Well, that's almost true. See, Flare Neos has a special ability, too. It's a lot like your monster's, except my monster isn't restricted to face-up cards, and he gains power from everyone's spells and traps."

"What!?"

Grinning, Judai said, "For every spell or trap card on the field, Flare Neos gains 400 attack points. I count one, so Flare Neos had 2900 points!"

Rob laughed harshly, saying, "That's still not enough to beat Uranus! What are you thinking?"

"I activate my spell card, Instant Neo Space. I'll equip it to Flare Neos."

As Judai placed the card in the slot on his duel disk, a rainbow-colored circle showing another dimension appeared at his monster's feet.

"Neos fusion monsters have a special ability that returns them to the extra deck at the end of the turn they're summoned. With Instant Neo Space, this effect is negated. Also, this makes two spell and trap cards, so Flare Neos gains another 400 attack points!" (Atk 3300)

Mariana stepped back slightly. "It's stronger than Uranus now!"

"You don't have to tell me. I already knew that!" Judai teased. "Flare Neos, attack The Despair Uranus!"

Flare Neos attacked the spherical monster, destroying it effectively.

Judai and Asuka: 4800  
Mariana and Rob: 3200

"I end my turn."

Rob looked pretty steamed up. He drew his card, glancing at it for only a second before making his move. "I summon Vision Hero Gravito!" (Def 2000)

The monster that was summoned was similar to Clayman in that it was definitely built for defense. It had a shield attached to its left arm.

"Gravito's special effect: I can sacrifice him to special summon two monsters from my spell and trap zone! So, I'll sacrifice Gravito to summon Vision Hero Increase (Def 1100) and Vision Hero Minimum Ray!" (Atk 1200)

More of Rob's heroes appeared on the field. These two burst from the masks that were on the field.

"These two have special abilities that can only be activated when they're special summoned in this way. See, Minimum Ray destroys one monster on the opponent's field! So, I'll get rid of your Cyber Blader!"

Minimum Ray fired a beam out of its head at Asuka's monster, destroying the figure skater.

"Now for Increase's effect—when it's special summoned from the spell and trap zone, I get to summon another Hero monster from my deck! So, here comes the leading lady of our production, Vision Hero Witch Raider!" (Atk 2700)

It was obvious where it got its name—this monster looked like a witch, from the pointy hat perched atop her head to the broomstick she carried.

"Witch Raider has a special ability, just like all my monsters. When she's summoned, she destroys all spell and trap cards the opponent controls!"

"What!?" Judai exclaimed.

Witch Raider raised her stick, emitting a wave of energy that wiped Instant Neo Space off the field. With his equip spell gone, Judai's monster vanished from the field.

"Now, Witch Raider attacks your Clayman!"

The woman twirled her stick, firing a blast at Clayman after she was done showing off.

"With that monster gone, Minimum Ray attacks you directly!"

Judai and Asuka: 3600  
Mariana and Rob: 3200

"I'll play one card face down, and that'll do it for me," Rob said, crossing his arms with a nasty smirk on his face.

Asuka narrowed her eyes, drawing her next card. "Don't look so cocky, Rob. You haven't won yet! I activate Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two more cards."

Asuka drew two extra cards from her deck. She looked over her hand, smiling. This could work.

"I activate Machine Angel Ritual! By sacrificing monster's from my field or hand whose levels add up to the level of a Cyber Angel, I can ritual summon that monster! I'll send my Cyber Prima and my Cyber Petit Angel to the graveyard to summon my Cyber Angel Dakini!" (Atk 2700)

A blue, four-armed woman appeared on Asuka's field. She had an orange chest plate, gold headdress over red hair, and black and gold pants. Two of her hands wielded swords while the other two were holding a staff.

"When Dakini is summoned, my opponent chooses one of their monsters with less defense points than Dakini and destroys it."

Rob had no difficulty in choosing the monster that would be destroyed. "I choose Minimum Ray."

Cyber Angel Dakini swung her staff at the selected monster, destroying it.

"Dakini attacks Increase!"

The angel dove down toward Rob's hero and slashed it in half with one of her swords.

"Now I'll play one card face down and end my turn."

"It's my turn!" Mariana glanced at the card she drew before saying, "Since Hidden Mantra is on the field, I'll special summon my second Nunurao! (Def 800) Then I summon Forbidden Beast Watsumu (Def 700), play one card face down, and end my turn."

Watsumu was a strange-looking creature, like all of Mariana's monsters. It had two legs near its head, and its tail, which gave it a stunning resemblance to a scorpion, was raised above its head.

Judai drew his next card. "Alright, I activate Pot of Greed! Next," he continued as he drew his cards, "I summon Winged Kuriboh in defense mode!" (200)

A little brown hairball with angel wings and green, clawed feet, Winged Kuriboh looked pretty useless. Rob laughed out loud upon seeing it.

"Oh, that's _real_ scary, Judai! Seriously, the prince of Neo Space uses _that_?"

"Laugh while you can!" Judai said. "I'll throw one card face down and end my turn."

Still chuckling, Rob drew his next card. "Alright, I'll end this quickly." He turned to Mariana. "Mind if I borrow a couple of monsters?"

Mariana waved dismissively. "That's what they're here for, Rob. Go right ahead."

"Alright, I'll sacrifice Nunurao and Watsumu to summon The Grand Jupiter!" (Atk 2500)

A big, metal man with a glass orb in the center of its chest and blades sticking out of its back like wings appeared on Rob's field.

"Jupiter's ability: I discard two cards to have it absorb one monster on the field. For this turn, it gains that monster's attack points."

Asuka's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

"Milady, I'm afraid that your Cyber Angel Dakini is about to donate her power to the kingdom of Misgarth! Jupiter absorbs Dakini!"

When Jupiter activated its ability, Dakini was pulled toward it and disappeared into the orb in its chest. Judai gritted his teeth in anger—the goal here was definitely to wipe them out in one turn.

_Well, let's hope _my_ trick works, then,_ he thought, smirking slightly. _If it does, this duel will end this turn...in victory for me and Asuka!__  
_

"With Jupiter's attack at 5200, your life points at 3600, that weak little hairball as your only defense, and Witch Raider still on my field, it's over for you two! Witch Raider attacks your Winged Kuriboh!"

"I activate my face-down card, Transcendent Wings!" Judai said, revealing the card he had on the field. Like you, I'll send two cards in my hand to the graveyard. But the results are going to be completely different! This card lets Winged Kuriboh evolve into a level 10!"

Winged Kuriboh was engulfed in light. When the light faded, the little hairball had donned golden dragon armor and white tail feathers, along with a pair of white dragon wings. It had two purple tendrils coming off its tail and a red jewel on its dragon forehead. Even though it was a level 10 monster, it still had the same attack and defense points as when it was a level 1.

"Big deal!" Rob said. "As if I'm afraid of it just because it's got a stylish costume! Jupiter still has _way_ more attack points! Heck, almost everything still has more attack points. That thing's pathetic!"

Judai narrowed his eyes. "You do realize that you're insulting my card, don't you?" he said, his voice dangerous. "My _friend_?"

Rob backed up, slightly nervous. Judai grinned.

"Well, it may not have a lot of attack points, but it does have a killer special effect. It can sacrifice itself to destroy all attack position monsters on the opponent's field."

"What!?"

"Winged Kuriboh, show him what you're made of!" Judai commanded.

At these words, Winged Kuriboh was again engulfed in light, this time destroying itself. The light came at Rob's monsters like meteors, hitting them and destroying them as the weaker monster took them out in a suicide attack.

"Oh, crap!"

"There's more," Judai said, smiling. "When Winged Kuriboh uses this effect, you take damage equal to the combined original attack of your monsters!"

Rob looked stunned for a moment. Mariana gaped.

Judai and Asuka: 3600  
Mariana and Rob: 0

"That's what you get for underestimating my partner," Judai said, fire in his eyes. "Don't judge a monster by its level or its attack power. You might be in for a nasty shock later."

"Wow" was all Rob said.

"Well, I have to admit, that was an amazing duel," Mariana said. "I don't understand why our prince wants you out of the way so badly. I mean, you seem like a valuable ally." She looked thoughtful, then added, "Of course, that would also make you a dangerous and formidable foe... Still, you won fair and square, so I think it's only fair that we return your stolen property."

Mariana and Rob took the Planet series cards, The Grand Jupiter and Despair Uranus, from their decks and handed them to Judai.

"Thank you, Mariana. Rob."

"Keep in mind that those cards could be dangerous in the wrong hands, Prince Judai," Mariana said.

Rob took Asuka's hand and kissed the back of it. "Well, it truly has been a pleasure, fair lady Asuka. I hope that our paths shall cross again."

Blushing, Asuka muttered, "He's just like Fubuki."

Judai blinked, then burst out laughing. Rob looked confused for a moment before Mariana shot Asuka a sympathetic look and dragged Rob away.

Once their opponents were gone, Judai turned to Asuka and said, "So, it's about time for lunch. Want to rush off to our next duel or get a bite to eat first?"

"Is there a time scheduled for lunch? Or are we just supposed to grab it whenever we feel like it?" she asked.

Judai shrugged. "Don't ask me. All I know is, I'm hungry!"

Asuka sighed, smiling slightly. "Alright. Then we better find you something to eat. I don't want your mind wandering while we're dueling. You need to be focused in this tournament!"

Judai didn't answer. He just walked to the back of the stage and took down an envelope that was taped to the backdrop. Looking inside, his eyes widened slightly when he saw where they were dueling next.

"Judai? Is something wrong?" Asuka asked.

Shaking his head, Judai said, "No, it's just that I know this great restaurant near the site of our next duel, and I figured we could stop there and get something before we meet our opponents. What do you say?"

What did she say? She said it sounded vaguely like a date, but that wasn't likely. After all, they were partners in a tag duel tournament! They would be spending the better part of the next few days together, so they might as well eat together. Besides, it was likely going to be fast food anyway, what with their opponents waiting and everything.

"Sounds good to me," Asuka said.

Judai grinned. Asuka got the feeling that maybe there _was _more to this little lunch break than she realized. She didn't have time to wonder about it, though, as she and Judai headed off to their next duel...and their next meal.


	37. Chapter 36

**The next chapter! I'll be updating slower over the next couple weeks, with finals coming up, but I'll update when I can! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Asuka gaped. This _had_ to be a joke, right? Sure, Judai had said that he knew a great restaurant near the site of their next duel, but Asuka hadn't been expecting _this_.

"Remind me why we're here, Judai?" Asuka asked.

This was one of the fanciest restaurants in town, a place that boasted a great deal of business from the Supreme King himself. It wasn't the sort of place that you just walked into in the middle of the day, dressed like...well, like Judai and herself. _At least know I know how Judai knows a restaurant here in town..._

"Because I thought I'd treat you to lunch, that's why," Judai answered. "Why? Want to eat somewhere else?"

"Judai!" Asuka was blushing all of a sudden. This was a place where the nobles often ate, and any man who was planning on proposing would try to find some way to afford to bring his girlfriend here. Definitely not the sort of place that you would choose for a casual meal with a friend. "We're in the middle of a tournament!"

"And the middle of the day, meaning it's lunch time. Just because there's a tournament going on doesn't mean we don't need to stop for food now and again. Besides, our next duel's outside of this restaurant, so we're still where we need to be."

Asuka was just thinking Judai was way too sly for his own good when she remembered that Misawa had picked out the dueling sites. _Daichi Misawa, when I get my hands on you..._

Judai dragged Asuka through the front door and up to the podium, where a waiter stood. The waiter eyed them distastefully, making Asuka feel subconscious.

"Don't you feel a little out of place, though, Judai? I mean, we're not exactly dressed for lunch in a fancy restaurant."

"Aw, come on! You look fine," Judai said. "Besides, it doesn't matter anyway." He walked up to the podium, and the waiter raised an eyebrow at them.

"Sir, can I help you?" he asked.

"Yeah, I need a table for two," Judai answered smoothly.

"Do you have a reservation?"

"Not really." Judai shrugged. "But I figured you could get me a table anyway."

"No registration, no service. We're extremely busy, today, 'sir.'"

Judai raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Get out."

"Aw, come on, pal!" Judai said. "Please don't make me play _that_ card..."

"What card?"

"Prince of Neo Space."

The man laughed. "Oh, that's rich! Yeah, _you_ the _prince_!? Dressed like _that_!?" He laughed again. "I don't think so!"

With a sigh, Judai rolled up his sleeve. "Then what's this?" he asked, pointing to a mark on his arm. Asuka's eyes widened slightly—the royal birthmark. Was he seriously flashing a mark on his arm to gain access to this place?

Asuka thought the poor guy was going to have a heart attack as he stared at the mark on Judai's arm. "T-that's—"

"So, what do you say?" Judai asked, pulling his sleeve back down. "Can you serve us or not?"

"Oh, yes, right away, sir! I'm sorry, no disrespect intended! I just—we weren't expecting you today!"

Judai shrugged. "Hey, it's no big deal, man. Just get me and the lady a table. And don't tell anyone else who I am, got it? I don't want everyone staring. Feels like being in a zoo, and I don't like zoos."

"Oh, yes, sir! Absolutely! My lips are sealed."

He led them to a curtained-off area, where there was only one table. Asuka wasn't sure that they should be doing this. After all, people called and made reservations months in advance, and here they were taking someone's table! This place was always booked solid.

"Judai," she whispered. "Maybe we shouldn't be doing this. I mean, there's somebody else coming who's going to want their table."

"And they'll have it, Asuka. Don't worry."

The waiter handed them their menus, smiling—he was doing his best to kiss up now that he knew who this was.

"What can I get you to drink?" the waiter asked, his pen at the ready.

"I think you know what I'll have," Judai answered. The waiter nodded and scribbled something down.

"And for the lady?"

"I'll have an iced tea, please," Asuka answered, feeling slightly self-conscious. She _really_ shouldn't have been here, with Judai, dressed like this. It just wasn't right.

"Very well, I'll return shortly with your drinks." The waiter turned and walked off.

Once they were alone, Asuka turned to Judai and said, "So, you come here often? I thought the manager was exaggerating about how many times your family's been in his restaurant!"

"It's my mom's favorite restaurant from when she lived in town, so my dad brings her out here for their anniversary and her birthday. I get to tag along on her birthday, so I've grown used to this place. By the way, don't worry about us taking anyone's table. The manager has one that's always on reserve for if my family suddenly drops in. As you can see, it's hidden away from prying eyes, just in case I should ever drop in with a girl," he teased, making Asuka blush. With a grin, Judai added, "He's trying to get a job as a chef in the castle, so he's kissing up to us."

"O-oh. So you knew you could just barge in here, flash your title, and get a table." Her tone indicated that she thought this was in poor taste.

He frowned. "Well, when you put it that way, it sounds bad. I just wanted to treat you to some of the best food in town, that's all. I mean, you deserve the best."

Asuka couldn't help but blush. "Judai..."

"Here are your drinks, sir," the waiter said, placing two glasses on the table in front of Judai and Asuka. "So, are you ready to order?"

"I'll have my usual," Judai answered.

Asuka glanced at the menu, then said, "I'll just have a salad."

The waiter nodded, taking note. "Alright. It will be a few minutes." He turned and left to give their orders to the chef.

This had to be the most awkward moment of Asuka's life: sitting here in a fancy restaurant with the prince of Neo Space, dressed in such an inappropriate outfit, about to eat lunch when they were in the middle of a tournament.

"Relax, Asuka," Judai said, grinning. "You look nervous. You know, there isn't anyone hiding under the table, and I'm not planning on drugging you or anything."

Asuka smiled slightly. "Judai..."

The waiter came back at that moment, but he didn't have their orders yet. "I'm sorry, sir, but there's someone outside asking if there are any duelists here who are in the tournament."

Judai sighed, standing up. "That would be us. How long do you think it'll be til our food's ready?"

"Well," the waiter said, smirking slightly at Judai's annoyance, "I could easily delay your order for you, sir."

"Great!" Judai said. "You're getting one heckuva tip for that one! Just try to make sure it's ready when we're done, okay?" He turned to Asuka. "Come on, let's go duel!"

Asuka got up, very much relieved that they had been interrupted. "Right!"

* * *

"So, you two are our opponents?" a man in a military uniform asked as Johan and Yubel ran over.

"Yeah, that's us!" Johan said. "I'm Johan, and this is Yubel."

The man nodded. "I'm General Tony Claymont. This here's my son, Andrew."

The younger man, probably in his early twenties, waved at the introduction. Now that Johan stopped and thought about it, these two did look alike; they had the same gray eyes and brown hair, although Andrew's was longer and pulled back into a ponytail. Like his father, he wasn't really dressed for a duel—he was dressed for an archaeological dig. Everything from his shoes to his hat just screamed archeology.

"Alright," Yubel said. "Now that the introductions are out of the way, can we get on with the duel?"

General Claymont laughed. "Spunky...I like that! Reminds me of Andy's mother."

"Dad!" Andrew said, looking annoyed. "I told you, it's ANDREW."

"Sorry, son. I forgot."

Andrew rolled his eyes, mumbling something about early-onset Alzheimer's.

"Uh, anyway, let's duel!" Johan said, trying to change the subject.

Yubel and Johan: 8000  
The Claymonts: 8000

"I'll go first, if you don't mind!" Yubel said, drawing her card. "I'll play a monster in face-down defense position, throw one card face down, and end my turn."

"I'll go next!" General Claymont said. "I summon Electro Gunner in attack mode!" (1800)

A floating robot with cannons for arms appeared on the general's field.

"That'll do it for me. Turn end."

Johan drew his card. "I summon Crystal Beast Topaz Tiger!" (Atk 1600)

A topaz appeared on Johan's field, shattering as a tiger burst out of it. The tiger had a white horn on its head, spikes on its legs, and a topaz on the side of its neck.

"Next, I'll activate Crystal Tree!"

A small tree, with no leaves or anything, appeared on Johan's field.

"What's that?" General Claymont asked. "We're dueling, not gardening! Dueling is war, son!"

Johan rubbed the back of his head. "You're taking this too seriously, don't you think? Anyway, that's it for me. Turn end."

"Then it's my turn," Andrew said, drawing his card. "I summon Thousand-Eyed Ghost!" (Def 1000)

A really creepy, spherical mummy that seemed to be made almost entirely of eyes appeared on Andrew's field.

"Next, I'll play one card face down and end my turn."

Yubel drew her next card. "Well, I see we've come full circle. Okay, then, I'll flip summon my Ryko, Lightsworn Hunter! When this card is flipped face-up, I destroy one card on the field and send the top three cards of my deck to the graveyard. So, Andrew, I think I'll get rid of that worrisome face-down card of yours."

Ryko pounced, destroying the selected card and leaving Andrew looking pretty ticked off. Yubel smirked as she sent three cards from her deck to the graveyard.

"Oh. Well, would you look at that? One of the cards I just sent to the graveyard was Wulf, Lightsworn Beast! This card can only be summoned when he's sent from my deck to the graveyard, so it looks like he gets to come out and play!" (Atk 2100)

A humanoid wolf in white and gold armor with glowing claws appeared on the field.

"Now, I'll sacrifice Ryko to summon Gragonith, Lightsworn Dragon!" (Atk 2000)

A white dragon appeared on Yubel's field, clad in white and gold armor. It had a golden mane and tail and red horns on its head.

"Gragonith gains 300 attack points for each Lightsworn monster in my grave with a different name. Ryko makes one, and there were two sent to the grave a minute ago by Ryko's effect, so Gragonith gains 900 attack points!" (Atk 2900)

"What!? Aw, man!" the general exclaimed.

Yubel just smiled. "Yeah. I get that a lot." Getting serious, she said, "Gragonith, attack that mummy!"

Gragonith opened its mouth and fired a burst of light at Thousand-Eyed Ghost, destroying it.

"When my Thousand-Eyed Ghost leaves the field, I can summon a level four or lower monster from my deck! I summon my Three-Eyed Ghost!" (Def 900)

Going along with the ancient Egypt theme, this one resembled the headdresses worn by ancient Egyptian nobles, though the head it rested on had a third eye in the middle of its forehead.

"Now for the rest of Gragonith's special ability—when it attacks a defending monster, the difference is dealt as damage to the opponent!"

Yubel and Johan: 8000  
The Claymonts: 6100

"Now Wulf attacks Electro Gunner!"

Wulf slashed through the robot, tearing it to ribbons.

Yubel and Johan: 8000  
The Claymonts: 5800

"That about does it for me. Though, at this moment, I send three cards from the top of my deck to the graveyard due to Gragonith's ability."

"How many abilities does that thing have!?" Andrew asked, gaping.

"That's the last one," Yubel said, sending three cards to the grave. "But, oh, look at that... Another Lightsworn in the grave. That means Gragonith's attack rises to 3200. It's your turn, General."

"Alrighty, then, little lady. I'll show you how it's done where I come from!" he said as he drew his next card. "I'll start by summoning Sergeant Electro!" (Atk 1600)

Sergeant Electro was a white robot that bore some resemblance to Electro Gunner, though this one had a machine gun for one hand and a blade for the other.

"Are you going senile, old man?" Yubel asked. "Gragonith has way more attack points than that monster."

"True, but who said I was attacking Gragonith? My target's that tiger of your partner's!"

"They're tied, thought!" Johan protested. "You'll take your own monster out, too!"

General Claymont wagged a finger at him. "Not after I activate _this_!" He held up a card. "Electronic Motor! This continuous spell raises the attack of all machine-type monsters on my field by 300 points, meaning Sergeant Electro has enough points to take out your tiger, boy!"

Sergeant Electro fired its machine gun at Topaz Tiger, destroying it.

Yubel and Johan: 7700  
The Claymonts: 5800

A topaz appeared on Johan's field, next to the Crystal Tree.

"Wait, what's going on here?" the general asked.

"When a Crystal Beast is destroyed, it stays on the field as a crystal in my spell and trap zone," Johan explained.

General Claymont looked slightly annoyed, but he continued, "Sergeant Electro has a special effect. Once per turn, I can pick one face-down card of yours, and that card can't be activated as long as Sergeant Electro is on the field. Yubel, your card is the only one right now, so I'll disable it! Then I set one card and end my turn."

"It's back to me, then!" Johan said, drawing. "I summon Crystal Beast Amethyst Cat!" (Atk 1200)

A pink cat burst out of a purple gemstone that appeared on Johan's field.

"Amethyst Cat can attack the opponent directly, but only with half her attack points. So, Amethyst Cat, attack them directly!"

Yubel and Johan: 7700  
The Claymonts: 5200

General Claymont shook his head. "Boy, I gotta tell ya, I haven't had a duel like this in quite awhile."

Yubel smirked. "If you think this is impressive, wait until you see our ace cards."

"We've got some aces of our own, you know," the general said casually. "Maybe you'll get to see them."

Johan was suddenly excited. He wanted to see these cards of theirs. He just hoped the duel would last long enough to give them a chance to play them. "I play one card face down and end my turn."

"It's back to me, then," Andrew said. "I'll start by summoning another Thousand-Eyed Ghost! Then, I'll equip it with Prominence and destroy it!"

Johan blinked. "Why would you do that?"

"Because that dragon over there is a real pain, that's why!" Andrew answered. "Using this card this way lets me destroy every card on your field, and you take 500 damage for each monster destroyed this way!"

With the demise of Thousand-Eyed Ghost, all of the cards on Yubel and Johan's field were destroyed, including Wulf, Gragonith, and Amethyst Cat.

Yubel and Johan: 6200  
The Claymonts: 5200

"Next, because of Thousand-Eyed Ghost's effect, I summon One-Eyed Ghost in defense mode!" (500)

A mummy with a golden eye appeared.

"Then I'll play a card face down and end my turn."

Yubel glared. "Took out Gragonith that easily, huh? Well, that's just fine." She gave an evil, demented smirk. "You've just set the stage for my most powerful creature. Are you ready? Because I've got four Lightsworn monsters in my graveyard, and something's itching to come out!"

Johan looked over at his partner. "Yubel...you mean, you've got...?"

"No."

Johan wanted to hit her for that.

"But I will in a minute! I activate Monster Reincarnation! By sending one card from my hand to the grave, I can exchange it for a monster that's in my graveyard. And I think I'll summon that monster right away! When there are four or more Lightsworn monsters in my graveyard, I can special summon the Judgment Dragon!" (Atk 3000)

Johan never got tired of seeing it—that enormous white dragon put many other monsters to shame, and it was so much easier to summon than his own dragon. Yubel's deck was meant to take opponents out as quickly as possible, which made sense since she used a deck that destroyed itself each turn. General Claymont and Andrew stepped back, staring in awe.

"What is that?" the general asked, obviously stunned.

"The most powerful card in my deck, the Judgment Dragon," Yubel answered. And you're about to see what it does, too. By paying 1000 life points, I can destroy all other cards on the field!"

Yubel and Johan: 5200  
The Claymonts: 5200

"What!?" Andrew exclaimed. Right after he said this, all of the cards on the field were wiped out in a flash of light, leaving only the Judgment Dragon standing.

"You have some sort of card-destroying fetish, don't you?" an obviously annoyed Andrew said.

Yubel just laughed. "Hey, whatever it takes to win. After all, we can't afford to lose this duel. You two work for Prince Ojin!"

"Huh?" Johan looked at Yubel. "They do?"

"You're worse than Judai sometimes, Johan. Of course they do! I wouldn't be surprised if they had some of the stolen Planet series cards, too. Those are those 'ace cards' of yours, aren't they?"

General Claymont looked extremely uncomfortable. "Stolen...it's such an ugly word, don't you think? I mean, all's fair in love and war, and this ain't love!"

Andrew closed his eyes, looking annoyed. "Dad, you've all but admitted it now." He looked at Yubel and asked, "How did you know?"

"I'm a close friend of the Neo-Spacian prince, so I hear about war issues and such. Your father's name has come up before when I went to sneak the prince out of council meetings. If you were asking how I knew you had the Planet series, I got a text message earlier, saying that Misgarth had sent in a spy a long time ago who had taken the cards, and the cards themselves were all in this tournament."

Andrew just shook his head, obviously stunned.

"So, since I'm well aware that you two are carrying stolen property, if Johan and I win this duel, you'll fork it over, got it?"

"And what if we win?" General Claymont asked.

"Well, that's a good question. How about we give you our most powerful cards."

Johan looked at Yubel, wondering what exactly she was getting at. _Bad feeling..._

"My Judgment Dragon and Johan's ace card."

"Yubel! You can't do that!"

"You going to stop me, Andersen?"

Normally when Yubel addressed him this way, he would back down. But not this time. "Yes, actually, I am! I refuse your stupid ante! That's my family you're talking about! I'm not going to risk _any _of them in a duel!"

Yubel shrugged. "Fine, then. It's useless on its own anyway. I'll just offer up my whole deck. How does that sound?"

"Sounds good to me!" General Claymont said. "You've got yourself a deal."

Yubel smirked. "Great. Okay, then. I'll end it this turn."

General Claymont looked confused. "Hold on, little lady. We still have 5200 life points left! You've only got one monster, and it only has 3000 points! How are you gonna end this in one turn?"

"Watch," Yubel said, taking a card from her hand. "I activate Monster Reborn to bring back Gragonith, Lightsworn Dragon! (Atk 2000) Don't forget, his special ability gives him 300 points for each Lightsworn in my graveyard. With Ryko, Wulf, Jain, Aurkus, and Celestia, my dragon gains 1500 attack points, for a grand total of 3500!"

The general looked pretty worried now. "Now, hold on one minute, young lady! You're telling me you made that bet with us when you knew you would win this turn!?"

"Pretty much, yeah," Yubel said, shrugging. "Now, Judgment Dragon and Gragonith, attack them directly!

Yubel and Johan: 5200  
The Claymonts: 0

General Claymont went into a fit of rage. "That's not right! How dare you trick us like that!?"

"Hey, I never said you'd get another turn," Yubel said, shrugging. "You just assumed that you would. It's fair. Remember, 'all's fair in love and war, and this ain't love.'"

The general opened his mouth to retort, but realized she had just turned his own words against him and stamped his foot instead. Andrew just laughed.

"Come on, Dad, you've got to admit, she's good. Besides, weren't we going to give them back the Planet series cards if we lost, anyway?"

"Wait, you were? Then why did you take the bet?" Johan asked.

"Because my father is a shameless gambler, that's why. Sorry about that."

Andrew snatched his father's deck, flipping through it until he found what he was looking for, then handing the rest back to the general. He removed a card from his own deck as well.

"Honestly, with how poorly my father and I work together, I'm surprised we lasted this long. I'm not really much of a duelist... I was lassoed into this by my dad. But, anyway, here. The Blazing Mars and The Supremacy Sun. They're yours."

Yubel took the cards from Andrew, smiling. "Well, for a man from Misgarth, you're surprisingly decent."

"You shouldn't judge us based on rumors," Andrew said quietly. "If _I've _learned anything today."

The cryptic response sounded vaguely flirtatious, making Yubel blush. Johan gritted his teeth in annoyance.

"Yeah, that's great, Andrew. Anyway, Yubel and I need to get to our next duel, _if_ you don't mind!" He grabbed Yubel's hand and pulled her away from the older man.

"Johan?" Yubel asked, seemingly stunned.

"Come on! This tournament isn't going to win itself!"

Yubel smiled, thinking she had a pretty good idea what was bothering Johan. "Idiot..."

* * *

Andrew shook his head. "Well, that wasn't exactly planned, was it?"

"You're telling me!" his father said. "I was hoping to be out of this tournament sooner! Sheesh, the duelists in this place are terrible! Now, when _I_ lived in Neo Space, we had some pretty good duelists."

Smiling, Andrew said, "Well, let's hope that this prince can defeat Ojin. Otherwise, this kingdom is doomed."

"You're sure that psychic said that _Misgarth_ was leading the world to ruin?"

"With that satellite and the cryptic information about planets, what else could it mean? The Planet series, SORA, Misgarth's desire for more power... I just wish I knew what she meant by 'deadly bright.'"

His father shrugged. "Well, it's not like it's our problem anymore. I say we leave it up to this Neo-Spacian prince to resolve. With any luck, he's at least half as good as his two friends were!"

Andrew nodded. "Yes, hopefully." He glanced in the direction Yubel and Johan had headed. "Or maybe those two can defeat Ojin. You never know, after all."

"Let's not get carried away, son," his father said, patting him on the shoulder. "Come on, let's go."

The two headed home, their goal achieved.


	38. Chapter 37

**Alright! This was faster than I thought it would be. I'll try to get the next chapter up within the next week sometime, but no guarantees. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Fubuki leaned against a tree in the park, playing his ukulele. The prelims were almost over, and he and Ryo were still in. _With any luck, the others are, too,_ he thought. _Hopefully, someone already took out Saiou and Prince Ojin. I wonder how my little sis is doing with Judai?_

"Hey, you two in the tournament?"

Fubuki and Ryo turned to the speaker—a big guy in a yellow sweatshirt, with a black baseball cap resting sideways on his head. He had brown hair and eyes. His partner was wearing a black and red trench coat, a brown shirt, black pants, and tinted glasses. His hair was red.

"Yep. I take it you fellas are, too?"

"That's right," the red-head said, nodding. "I'm Honomaru. This is Iwamaru."

"I'm Ryo. This is Fubuki."

"Alright, now that we've got that out of the way, let's get this duel started, shall we?"

Fubuki smiled. "Alright, but I gotta warn you, we're pretty good."

Iwamaru smirked. "Yeah? Us, too. Trust me, you're going down."

"We'll see about that!" Ryo said, activating his duel disk.

* * *

"Ah, that must be them, don't you think?" a brown-haired man in a red costume asked his companion, a woman with long, black hair.

"Should be. Though they look a little young, don't you think?"

"What are you talking about? They're old enough. I mean, the prince entered this tournament, didn't he?"

The woman shrugged. "I suppose so."

* * *

"Hey, Asuka, you think that's them?" Judai asked, pointing to a couple standing nearby.

"Well, either that, or that man needs some serious help," Asuka said. "I mean, why would anyone run around wearing that?"

Judai didn't answer. "Hey!" he called. "Are you two in the tournament?"

The couple looked at him. The man—a brunette in a red costume, smiled. "Why, yes we are. So, you're our opponents, then?"

"Yeah, I'm Judai. This is Asuka."

The woman raised an eyebrow, making Judai groan. _Seriously, is Judai really _that_ uncommon of a name?_

"Judai? The prince?"

"Please tell me what keeps giving it away. Because I'm sure that's not that unusual of a name," he said.

The woman laughed a bit. "Well, it's just that this is the last duel of the prelims, so anyone who's still in the tournament named Judai would have to be you. At least, if you're half as good as I've heard you are."

Judai smiled. "I guess you'll see how good I am, miss...?"

"Midori Hibiki. This is my brother, Koyo."

"It's nice to meet you, Prince Judai," Koyo said. "I've always wanted to try my hand at dueling you."

Judai rubbed the back of his head. "Please, don't be so formal. It's just Judai."

"Anyway, we should get on with this duel," Asuka said.

Midori nodded. "Right. Get ready, then!"

"DUEL!"

Judai and Asuka: 8000  
Midori and Koyo: 8000

"If you don't mind, I'll take the first move," Midori said, drawing a card. "I summon Darklord Ukoback in defense mode!" (1000)

An angel wearing a tattered tunic with chains wrapped around its torso and black wings appeared on the field.

"Then I play one card face down and end my turn."

"I'm up, then!" Judai said. "I summon Elemental Hero Wildheart!" (Atk 1500)

A wild-man, with a long, black ponytail and a sword strapped to his back, took his place on Judai's field.

"An Elemental Hero, huh?" Koyo said, looking amused. "Well, this should be an interesting duel, then."

Judai blinked, looking slightly confused. "Why is that?"

Drawing his card, Koyo said, "Well, you're about to find out, aren't you? I'll start by summoning Elemental Hero Lady Heat!" (Def 1000)

An orange-haired woman in a red and white costume appeared on Koyo's field.

"Next, I activate Hero's Bond! When I have a Hero monster on my field, I can summon two level 4 or lower Elemental Heroes from my hand! So, I'll summon Elemental Hero Knospe (Atk 600) and Elemental Hero Woodsman!" (Def 2000)

A little budding plant and a green man with a wooden arm and leg joined Lady Heat on the field.

"Wait," Judai asked, "why did you summon Knospe in attack mode? It has less attack points than Wildheart!"

Koyo smiled. "Well, I'd love to show you, but it's still the first turn, so you'll have to wait and hope I get the chance. I end my turn, and it's at this moment that Lady Heat's special ability activates! During my end phase, she deals 200 points of damage to the opponent for each Elemental Hero monster I control!"

Lady Heat cupped her hands together, creating a fireball, and threw it at Judai and Asuka.

Judai and Asuka: 7400  
Midori and Koyo: 8000

Asuka drew her card, eying Koyo's field. _He's already got three monsters on the field, and it's only the first turn!_

"Alright, I summon my Cyber Petit Angel!" (Def 200)

A round, pink, mechanical angel with blue wings and a glowing yellow halo materialized on Asuka's field.

"When I summon Cyber Petit Angel, I can add one Machine Angel Ritual from my deck to my hand. Next, I'll play one card face down and end my turn."

"Well, then, it's back to me," Midori said as she drew her next card. She snapped her fingers and said, "I activate my trap card, Angel Fallen Into Darkness! This card has me send one fairy-type monster I control to the graveyard in exchange for a more powerful, dark fairy-type! I send Ukoback to the graveyard to summon Darklord Asmodeus!" (Atk 3000)

A purple-winged creature with white and black armor on its torso appeared on the field.

"Once per turn, I can send a fairy-type monster from my deck to the graveyard, thanks to Asmodeus's effect," Midori said, taking a card from her deck and sending it to the graveyard. "Now, Asmodeus attacks your Wildheart!"

Asmodeus flew into the air, coming down on the hero and slicing through him with his nails.

Judai and Asuka: 5900  
Midori and Koyo: 8000

"I play one card face down and end my turn."

Judai drew his next card. "Alright, I activate Polymerization to fuse the Sparkman and Bladedge in my hand to summon Elemental Hero Plasma Vice!" (Atk 2600)

A sparking, blue and gold monster materialized on Judai's field.

"Now I activate Plasma Vice's special ability! By discarding one card from my hand, I can destroy one attack position monster on your field!"

"What!?"

"I discard one card to destroy Asmodeus!"

Plasma Vice shot a burst of energy at Asmodeus, destroying the dark angel. Two smaller angels appeared to take its place.

"What just happened?" Judai asked.

"When Asmodeus is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, it leaves behind an Asmo token (Def 1300) and a Deus token." (Def 1200)

Judai scowled; he had gotten rid of one of her monsters, only to have it replaced by two! "Plasma Vice attacks Knospe!"

"You can't do that," Koyo said. "When there's another Elemental Hero monster on my field, Knospe can't be selected as an attack target."

"Then I'll attack Lady Heat!"

Plasma Vice charged up an attack, firing another burst of energy at Lady Heat, destroying her.

"When Plasma Vice attacks a defending monster, it inflicts piercing damage to the opponent!"

Judai and Asuka: 5900  
Midori and Koyo: 6400

"Not bad, Judai. Not bad at all," Koyo said, obviously impressed.

"I play one card face down and end my turn," Judai said.

"Then we're back to me," Koyo said, drawing his card. "I activate Woodsman's effect! During my standby phase, I can add Polymerization from my deck to my hand."

"Polymerization... So, you're planning on fusing something?"

"Exactly. I'll fuse the Woodsman on my field with the Ocean in my hand to summon Elemental Hero Terra Firma!" (Atk 2500)

A white, humanoid creature, with blue jewels on its shoulders and head and a red jewel on its chest, materialized on Koyo's field, taking its place next to Knospe.

Judai scowled. "Terra Firma. One of the Planet series. Why am I surprised?"

"So you're working for Ojin, too!?" Asuka asked, appalled.

"What?" Koyo looked stunned. "No, no, you've got it all wrong! We don't work for Ojin. Why would you think that?"

"Gee, I don't know, maybe because you have one of the Planet series cards that Ojin's people stole from my family!?"

Midori held up a hand. "Whoa, whoa, back it up. Are you saying that my brother's card is stolen property?"

"Yes! _My_ stolen property!" Judai exclaimed.

Koyo and Midori looked at each other. "Well," Koyo said, "I suppose that explains why Linda gave it to me."

"Linda?" Asuka asked.

"Prince Ojin's secretary. You see, we have been to Misgarth, but only because the prince wanted to duel my sister here. You see, she has quite the reputation in Misgarth," Koyo explained. "While we were there, the secretary, a woman named Linda, approached me and handed me this card, saying that she was sure I could put it to good use. I never knew that it had been stolen from the royal family."

Judai still looked pretty steamed, like he didn't believe Koyo's story. Koyo looked a bit worried, probably imagining spending the rest of his life in the dungeon.

"Look, I assure you, Midori and I have lived in Neo Space our entire lives! I mean, sure, we visit Misgarth on occasion, but that doesn't mean we feel any loyalty toward their royal family."

"That's right," Midori said. "And, to prove our loyalty, after this duel, win or lose, we'll return Terra Firma to you. Okay?"

Judai scrutinized them for a moment. "Alright. Deal."

Koyo looked relieved. "Alright, then. I'll get on with my turn. Terra Firma's special effect: I send one Elemental Hero I control to the grave to add its attack points to Terra Firma's until the end phase! So, I'll send Knospe to the graveyard, increasing Terra Firma's attack power by 600!" (Atk 3100)

Judai scowled. "And now it has more attack points than Plasma Vice."

"That's right! So, Terra Firma, attack his Plasma Vice!"

"I activate my face-down card, Hero Barrier!" Judai said. "This negates an attack when I have an Elemental Hero on my field once. Though, as a Hero user yourself, I'm sure you already knew that."

Koyo smirked. "Nice work, Judai. I play one card face down and end my turn, so Terra Firma's attack returns to its original 2500."

"It's my turn!" Asuka said, drawing. "I activate Machine Angel Ritual! I'll sacrifice the Cyber Gymnast and Etoile Cyber in my hand to summon Cyber Angel Dakini!" (Atk 2700)

A blue, four-armed redhead, armed with two swords and a staff, materialized on Asuka's field.

"When Dakini is summoned, you chose one monster you control and destroy it."

Midori narrowed her eyes. "Then I guess we chose Deus token."

The token was wiped off the field when Asuka's monster sliced through it.

"Now, Dakini attacks Terra Firma!"

"I activate my face-down card, Dark Mist!" Midori said. "When a monster declares an attack, I send one dark monster from my deck to the graveyard to negate the attack. I send Darklord Superbia to the graveyard to negate Dakini's attack."

Asuka scowled. "Turn end."

"It's my turn!" Midori said, drawing a card from her deck. "I sacrifice Asmo token to summon Darklord Edeh Arae!" (Atk 2300)

A light blue creature with horns appeared on the field, clad in dark armor.

"Next, I'll play two cards face down and end my turn."

Judai drew his next card. _Edeh Arae has less attack points than both our monsters! It's got to be some sort of trap, but..._

"Plasma Vice attacks Edeh Arae!"

Midori snapped her fingers. "I activate Fallen Angel Descent! When a monster declares an attack, this card lets me summon two dark fairy-type monsters from my graveyard that are the same level as the attacking monster, at the cost of half my life points. So, I summon Darklord Asmodeus (Atk 3000) and Darklord Superbia!" (Atk 2900)

Judai and Asuka: 5900  
Midori and Koyo: 3200

Asmodeus reappeared on the field, along with a creature without a head, its face instead embedded in its torso, scrawny arms, and orange wings.

"When Superbia is special summoned from the grave, its effect activates, letting me summon another fairy-type monster from my graveyard! Remember the one I sent away with Asmodeus's ability earlier? Well, now you get to see it! I summon Darklord Desire!" (Atk 3000)

A red-winged angel in black and gold armor appeared on the field.

Judai stared at the army of monsters that had so suddenly arrived with the activation of just one trap card.

"Next," Midori said, "I activate Fallen Angel's Bewitchment! When a dark fairy-type monster I control is selected as an attack target, this card switches the attack to another one of my monsters!"

Plasma Vice charged up an attack, but he wasn't aiming for Edeh Arae—he was aiming for Desire! When Plasma Vice attacked the stronger monster, Desire retaliated by destroying Plasma Vice.

Judai and Asuka: 5500  
Midori and Koyo: 3200

"Turn End."

"I'm up," Koyo said, drawing. "I'll start by activating Pot of Greed! This lets me draw two cards. Next, I activate Hero's Return, which lets me bring a Hero in my graveyard back to the field until the end phase of my next turn. I'm bringing back Knospe!" (Atk 600)

The little budding plant reappeared on Koyo's field.

"Next, I'll activate Rose Bud! By sacrificing Knospe, I can summon Elemental Hero Poison Rose!" (Atk 1900)

A purple woman in a dress made out of leaves with white flower petals for hair took the place of Knospe on the field.

"Next, I summon Elemental Hero Heat!" (Atk 1600)

A man in a white, orange, and gold costume reminiscent of Lady Heat's costume appeared on the field.

"Using Terra Firma's special ability, I sacrifice Heat to give its attack points to Terra Firma! (Atk 4100) Now, Terra Firma attacks Cyber Angel Dakini!"

"I activate my face-down card, Doble Passe!" Asuka said. "This turns Terra Firma's attack into a direct attack! In exchange, Dakini gets to attack you directly!"

Terra Firma's attack hit Asuka, and Dakini slashed through Koyo and Midori's life points.

Judai and Asuka: 1400  
Midori and Koyo: 500

"Well, that was a pretty risky move there, Asuka," Koyo said. "I mean, you did a lot of damage to your life points, you know?"

"I know," Asuka answered, smirking. "I also know that I can end this duel on my next turn, thanks to that little stunt."

Koyo smiled. "Well, I'd like to see you try. I play one card face down and end my turn."

"It's my turn, then," Asuka said, drawing her card. "I summon Cyber Tutu in attack mode!" (Atk 1000)

Koyo raised an eyebrow. "Why would you summon that? It's weaker than all the monsters on mine and Midori's field."

Asuka smiled. "That's exactly why I summoned her. Cyber Tutu can attack directly if there aren't any enemy monsters on the field with less attack points."

"What!?"

"Cyber Tutu, attack them directly!"

Judai and Asuka: 1400  
Midori and Koyo: 0

Judai pumped his fist in the air. "Alright! Nice move, Asuka!"

Asuka smiled at him.

"Well, you really are as good as they say, maybe better," Midori said. "Of course, it's hard to say for sure in a tag duel. Maybe you two just work well together."

Koyo laughed. "That was an amazing duel! There's not question about it. Here." He held out Terra Firma, along with Ocean and Woodsman. "As promised, Terra Firma's yours."

Judai took the cards, eying Ocean and Woodsman before saying, "The deal was I get Terra Firma. Ocean and Woodsman are yours, not mine."

Koyo shrugged it off. "You'll need those cards if you're going to use Terra Firma. After all, it will go really well with your deck." Winking, he added, "You know, since you use Elemental Heroes and all."

Judai looked at the cards again, then smiled at the older man. "Thank you, Koyo."

"Well, good luck in the finals, you two," Midori said. "We'll be watching."

"Thanks," Asuka said. "We could use all the support we can get."

"You've got it in the bag," Koyo said, winking. "Just remember to have fun!"

Judai stared at the cards in his hand again. "Have fun," he muttered, thinking about what this tournament was about: defeating the Light of Destruction and saving the world.

Of course, high stakes or not, he had been having fun today. Likely because he knew that, even if he lost, one of his friends was bound to make it to the finals, and they would defeat Saiou and Ojin. Of course, now the stakes were higher—or it seemed that way, at least. After all, tomorrow was the day of the finals, and Saiou and Ojin were bound to have made it through the prelims.

"Thanks, Koyo," Judai said, smiling—a fake smile, but he was certain Koyo and Midori wouldn't notice. "We will."

Asuka looked at Judai, concern showing clear on her face. Koyo just winked one more time and walked off with his sister.

"Judai," Asuka said once the others were gone. "Are you okay?"

"Am I okay?" Judai asked. "Asuka, tomorrow I'm going to be dueling for the fate of the world! Why would you ask that?"

"Weren't you dueling for the same reason today?"

Judai shook his head, saying, "Yeah, but this morning it seemed less...I don't know, real...? Now, there's only four pairs left, you and me being one of them. You know Saiou and Ojin are another, and I really just hope that we aren't the last ones from our group in this tournament. You think your brother and the Kaiser made it through?"

Asuka took Judai's hand. "I'm sure at least one other team from our group made it through the prelims, Judai. Our friends are great duelists, and they wouldn't go down easily. Don't worry. We can defeat the Light of Destruction."

* * *

"I activate Hinotama! This deals 500 points of damage directly to your life points!" Honomaru said as a fireball appeared, flying straight at Fubuki and Ryo.

Fubuki and Ryo: 2000  
Honomaru and Iwamaru: 2500

"Next, Flame Ogre attacks Red Eyes Darkness Dragon!"

Flame Ogre was equipped with Salamandra, giving it an extra 700 attack points for a total of 3100. There were two dragons in Fubuki's grave, so Red Eyes Darkness Dragon was down by 100 points.

Fubuki and Ryo: 1900  
Honomaru and Iwamaru: 2500

"It's your turn, Ryo."

Ryo drew his card, glancing at it before smirking devilishly. "Are you ready to lose, Honomaru? Iwamaru? Because I activate Power Bond! I fuse the two Cyber Dragons in my hand to summon Cyber Twin Dragon!" (Atk 2800)

A two-headed, snakelike metal dragon appeared on Ryo's side.

"Because I summoned it using Power Bond, its attack power is doubled!" (5600)

"N-no way!" Iwamaru said, taking a nervous step back.

"Yes way!" Fubuki retorted, earning himself a slight glare from Ryo.

"Cyber Twin Dragon, attack his Flame Ogre!"

Fubuki and Ryo: 1900  
Honomaru and Iwamaru: 0

"How...how did you beat us?" Honomaru asked.

"Because I'm better than you," Ryo answered. "It's not that complicated."

Honomaru and Iwamaru left, cursing Ryo as they did.

Fubuki did his signature pose. "We won! That means we're going on to the finals!"

Ryo smiled at his friend. "Yes, we are. And we're going to win there, too."

"You know it!"

* * *

Later, back at the castle, Asuka and Judai were in the dining hall, waiting for the other finalists. Sho came running in, looking ecstatic.

"Aniki, you're still in the tournament! I mean, I knew you would be, but still! Congratulations!"

Judai smiled. "Thanks, Sho. You wouldn't know who else is still in, would you?"

"Well, us, for one," Ojin's voice answered from the doorway. "Good to see that you survived the preliminaries, Prince Judai. I wouldn't want anyone else taking you out. That honor shall be all mine."

"We'll see who's taking who out, Ojin," Judai answered.

"Sissi!" Fubuki ran up behind Asuka, pulling her into a hug. "You made it! I knew you would!"

"Fubuki, let go," Asuka said, still annoyed with him for making her wear that stupid outfit.

Fubuki stepped back, eying her appearance. "Hey, you look great, sis! Boy, I sure have great taste, don't I?"

"I'm going to kill you, you know that, right?"

He laughed nervously.

Judai smiled at Ryo, relieved to see a friendly and familiar face. "So, you two are in the finals, huh?"

"That's right," Ryo said, nodding. "And we're going to win."

"I wouldn't be on it!" Everyone turned as Manjoume entered the room with a red-headed girl...who was wearing an "I heart Jun Manjoume" T-shirt?

"Uh, Manjoume? Who's that?" Judai asked, slightly disturbed.

Manjoume looked over his shoulder. "This? This is Ai. She's my partner, by some sick twist." Mumbling, he added, "Though I have to admit, she's a pretty good duelist."

"Oh, Jun, you're so sweet!" Ai said. Judai suddenly felt an infinite amount of pity for Manjoume. "When we win this tournament, you and me are gonna get married!"

"Hell no!"

"But Juuun," she whined.

"No means no! Got it!?"

Ai pouted. "Fine, I can wait."

Fubuki smiled. "Ah, young love! How cute!"

"Shut up!"

"Well, I see you're all here," the Supreme King said, walking into the dining hall. "Congratulations to today's winners, and good luck tomorrow." He eyed Ojin and Saiou. "For tonight, just rest. Dinner will be served shortly." He caught sight of Sho and smiled. "Ah. Well, it seems we have an extra guest."

Sho blushed. "I—uh, I was just—"

The Supreme King raised his hand. "No, no need to explain yourself, Sho. Any friend of my son's is always welcome. Please, join us."

Sho sat down at the table, feeling increasingly uncomfortable. "Am I eating dinner with the royal family, or is this all a dream?" he muttered.

Judai leaned over and whispered, "That depends. Which one is less likely to make you faint?"

"Funny, Aniki."

Judai just grinned, feeling a lot better knowing that three of the final pairs were on his side. With that knowledge, he thought he could do what Koyo had said and have fun with the rest of the tournament. _If I'm lucky, I'll be dueling Saiou and Ojin first tomorrow. Then I can just have a fun duel with whoever I face in the finals._


	39. Chapter 38

**Okay, I probably should be focusing on that speech I have to give tomorrow at 8 am, but I'm gonna post this first! Though, again, no guarantees that the next chapter will be up soon. However, since my finals are all multiple choice and I have study guides for 2 of them, I should be able to find time to write more this week. Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Alright, Asuka. This is where I leave you," Judai said as he and Asuka stopped in front of her room. Yes, she lived nearby; but, like all competitors, she had her own room in the castle until this whole thing was over. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Asuka nodded, opening the door. "Sleep well, Judai."

"You, too."

With that, Judai headed off to his own room, leaving Asuka to her thoughts.

* * *

"What a day this has been," Asuka muttered, sitting on her bed. She had taken a shower and gotten out of that ridiculous outfit her brother had put her in. "Dueling on the same team as Judai, facing just about everyone from Misgarth... I wonder if the other Planet series have shown up yet."

She shook her head, laying down on the bed. "I went to a fancy restaurant with the prince of Neo Space. The _crown_ prince of Neo Space. How exactly did _that_ happen? We were in the middle of a tournament!"

With thoughts about her date with Judai plaguing her, Asuka wasn't sure if she would be getting any sleep tonight.

* * *

Judai yawned, stretching his arms above his head. What a day! He had been in a tournament with the fate of the world at stake, fighting against stolen cards, and have even managed to sneak a date with the girl he liked into all that!

"Misawa," he muttered, his eyes closed, "Asuka's going to kill you for that."

"Ah, there you are!" Judai opened his eyes; Jim and O'Brien were standing outside of his bedroom door, waiting on him. "We were starting to worry."

"Jim. O'Brien. What's up?"

"We thought you might want to know about the cards we retrieved today," O'Brien answered. "Apparently they were stolen from your family."

Judai's eyes widened. "Wait, are you saying some of your opponents had Planet series cards?"

"So you're aware of these, then," Jim said. "We dueled a couple of sheilas who had these." He held up the cards: The Suppression Pluto and The Tyrant Neptune.

Judai swiped the cards from Jim. "So, you dueled them and won, and they gave these to you?"

"Pretty much," Jim said with a shrug. "I mean, they were decent ladies. It's not like they're evil or anything. They've just got some misconceptions about Neo-Spacian royalty."

Judai narrowed his eyes. "Why do I get the feeling I don't like where this is going...?"

"I invited one of them to come watch the finals tomorrow," Jim said. "She'll also be hanging out with us after the tournament."

"What!?"

"I told you he wouldn't like it," O'Brien muttered.

"Are you telling me that you invited one of Ojin's employees to hang out with me!? Do I have to remind you that Ojin doesn't _like_ me!? If Ojin can't stand me, what makes you think anyone who works for him will feel any differently!?"

Jim raised his hands defensively. "Calm down, mate! It's not what you think. She wants to get to know you because she thinks she might have misjudged you, that's all."

"Well, that, and she likes Jim," O'Brien added.

Judai's jaw dropped. Jim glared at O'Brien. "So, what you're saying is Jim got a date...with one of Ojin's lackeys...because he entered this tournament that was set up for the sole purpose of defeating the Light of Destruction...?"

Jim rubbed the back of his head. "Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a date. I mean, you're going to be there, and so will Sho and Asuka..."

"Oh, so you just made a new friend. Great. Wonderful. After all, what's better than making friends you can't trust because they work for the enemy!?"

"Calm down, Judai," O'Brien said. "I don't think Akiko will hurt you in any way. She's no threat, just a citizen of Misgarth doing what she thinks is best for her kingdom. If she doesn't think you're a threat to her homeland, she won't have any reason to hurt you."

"Yeah, okay. Whatever. By the way, Jim, do you want a list of people working for Ojin so you can go make friends with all of them?"

"Judai!"

Judai sighed. "Sorry. That was uncalled for. Okay, Jim, I look forward to meeting this girl. Akiko, was it?"

"That's right," Jim said, nodding. "Oh, she might have her partner tagging along. I'm not sure how close those two are."

Judai ran a hand through his hair. "As long as neither of them tries to kill me, I don't care. Just remember that Yubel doesn't—"

"Doesn't what?"

The three boys turned to see Yubel and Johan coming down the hall toward them. And Johan's arm was...wrapped around Yubel's waist!?

"Am I seeing things, or are you two...?" Judai couldn't finish that—it was too much.

Johan glanced at what the others were all staring at, then quickly moved his arm, rubbing his head. "Oh, uh, well..."

"Don't worry about that right now, Judai," Yubel said, walking over. "We've recovered some of the stolen Planet series cards. The Supremacy Sun and The Blazing Mars."

Judai gaped at them as he reached out and took the cards. "You two were paired up in this tournament?"

"Yeah. Why?"

He shook his head. "No, it's nothing. I just didn't realize you guys had gotten that close. I mean, this time last year, you weren't even on speaking terms because Yubel hated you for taking my attention and time away from her. Now you two are virtually inseparable."

"Well, we've reached an understanding," Johan said, wrapping his arm around Yubel's shoulders.

Judai stared at the scene before him. "Is there something about you two that I should know?"

"Well, uh..." Johan started.

"We're dating," Yubel said. "He asked me to go to dinner with him, and I accepted."

Judai looked from one to the other, waiting for one of them to crack up and tell him this was a joke. After all, Yubel had been crushing on Judai for who knew how long, and she was suddenly accepting invitations to dinner from Johan?

"See, I told you he wouldn't buy it," Johan said.

"Hey, I could care less what he buys, Johan," Yubel said. "He'll figure it out eventually."

"Whoa, whoa! Back up! How did this happen, and how did I miss it? I mean, I guess I saw hints of it, but seriously, when did you guys hook up?"

"Today, technically," Johan said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh. Well, okay, then. I guess I didn't miss it by too much, then."

"No, you didn't," Yubel said. "How's it going with Asuka, by the way? Are you two back on speaking terms?"

Judai blushed. "Uh, well..."

"They are," Johan said, grinning. "And he's told her. And he probably dragged her off on a date already."

"Johan!" Judai's blush deepened.

"Oh, you sly dog," Yubel teased. "I didn't know you had it in you. Kudos."

"I'm going to bed now, if you all don't mind," Judai said dismissively.

"You know we're gonna tease you about this later, don't you?" Johan said, his grin broadening.

"Oh, just shut up!" He slammed the door. "Sheesh. Those guys..."

* * *

"**Scream all you like," the cold voice of his captor said. "Nobody can hear you. Nobody cares, not even those you called your friends. They'll all forget about you soon enough. Out of sight, out of mind."**

**He tried to block it out, but he wasn't so sure it wasn't true. The whole thing in Dark World had left him thinking that everyone would be better off if he just disappeared anyway, and if that was the case, wasn't this voice telling the truth?**

"**Yes, Prince Judai. It's true. Your friends don't care that you're gone. Nobody cares. You're all alone in the world." The voice sounded sympathetic, almost. "Join me, and you won't have to suffer anymore."**

**Maybe he should listen. This pain was too much, and no one would miss him if he disappeared. He knew that. Why would anyone want him around? He was a liability, a burden to those around him. He had nearly gotten his friends killed earlier, after all, and that probably wasn't the last time he would have dangerous enemies come after him. Maybe everyone _would_ be better off if he just disappeared...**

Judai sat bolt upright in his bed, letting out a slight scream. He glanced around quickly, making sure that everything was in order, then sighed in relief.

That was the first time he'd had that dream. No, not a dream—a memory. That was what had happened in Darkness's world, what he couldn't remember. That thing had convinced him that no one cared, that he shouldn't hang out with them because they didn't want him around anyway. Closing his eyes, Judai admitted that it wasn't exactly difficult to convince him of these things—he had already been thinking that his friends would be better off without him, and that any of them that still wanted him around had to be crazy. That thing just made the thoughts seem more urgent, more legitimate.

_Is that what Darkness does?_ Judai wondered. _Capitalize on someone's worst fears, their worst thoughts, all the darkness inside of them, and use it against them?_

A knock on the door pulled Judai from his thoughts. "Who is it?" he called.

"It's me, Asuka."

Judai blinked, wondering what the heck Asuka was doing here at this time of night. "Just a sec," he said, reaching for his shirt lying on the floor. He had taken to sleeping in only his pants. Why bother with pajamas? As he pulled his shirt on, he called, "Okay, come on in."

The door opened, and Asuka stood there fully dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants. "Did I wake you?" she asked hesitantly as she walked in, closing the door behind her.

Judai shook his head. "No, not really. I was kinda up anyway. Is something wrong?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I just...wanted to check on you." Hastily, she added, "Not that I thought something was wrong or anything, but you haven't exactly been acting like yourself lately, aside from today. I mean, you were acting more like you, but still—"

"Asuka, calm down!" Judai said, holding his hands up. "You don't have to explain yourself. It's true, I _have _been acting weird lately. I'm sorry if I worried you."

"You've had us all pretty worried, Judai," Asuka whispered, sitting down beside him on the bed. "You still do, actually. We don't know what happened to you, and we don't know if..."

Raising an eyebrow, Judai asked, "If what?"

She shook her head, trying to get out of answering, but Judai persisted. "If what, Asuka? What else don't you guys know?"

It took her a moment, but she finally answered, her voice barely a whisper. "If you're ever going to be the same again."

Judai frowned. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, brushing a lock of hair out of her face with his other hand.

"Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I knew the answer to that second one. But I think I may have finally figured out the answer to the first one. Well, sort of."

Asuka started, looking at him. "You remember something?"

Judai closed his eyes. "Darkness wanted me to believe that nobody cared, and that you would all just leave me to rot in his world." He decided to leave out the physical pain—that wasn't important, as far as he was concerned, since it was over now. All mentioning it would do is upset her, and he knew that what he had to say was going to do that enough as it was. "And, honestly, what with the way I've been feeling since that whole mess in Dark World, I kinda believed him."

"Judai, that thing was manipulating you!" Asuka exclaimed, obviously horrified. "I'm sure it just _made_ you believe what it was saying. I mean, you don't seriously think that we'd abandon you, do you?"

Judai opened his eyes, staring at the ceiling. "Honestly, I think that might be why I've been avoiding you guys. Because I _didn't_ know. I mean, obviously I never thought you guys didn't care before, but that _thing_ is manipulative. Something about it got me questioning my own judgment, your loyalty...everything, even my own parents' feelings toward me."

"Judai..."

"But I know now, without a doubt, that you guys _do_ care, and that you'd never abandon me if I needed you. It just took a little time for me to get my head back on straight, that's all."

Asuka shook her head. "No, I don't think that's it." She leaned in. "It's probably because we're all sticking our necks out for you again, though I'm not sure how you missed the first two times we did."

"I didn't. I just...wasn't thinking about them, I guess," Judai said, rubbing the back of his head. "This has been one heckuva month for me, and I honestly can't wait to put all of this behind me and pretend that most of it didn't happen."

"Most of it?"

He smiled at her. "Well, I could stand to remember this past day, and that night on the beach. At least, before Rei showed up."

Asuka laughed.

Judai pulled her a little closer. "Seriously. About the only moments I want to remember from this month are the ones I spent with you. The rest of it basically sucked, between dealing with the Light of Destruction and Ed's accusations that I don't care and trying to figure out what the heck happened to me in Darkness's world."

"You've had a really rough month. But I'm sure things will get better after tomorrow morning."

Judai smiled, deciding there was a time to be serious and a time to joke around. "Remind me what you're doing in my bedroom again?"

Blushing, Asuka fumbled around for something to say. She finally settled on, "What?" Judai just laughed.

"You should probably go back to bed, Asuka," he said. "We've got the last two duels tomorrow, and we'll need to have our wits about us when we face Saiou and Ojin. I can't say anything about Saiou's skills, but Ojin's got a one-turn kill move in his deck that we need to watch out for."

Asuka nodded. "R-right. I'll go, then." She stood up and hurried from the room.

Judai sighed, laying back down on his bed. Asuka was right; things would get better after tomorrow...assuming he _survived_ tomorrow.


	40. Chapter 39

**Okay, back to the tournament! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Alright, I see you're all here," Misawa said with a nod as he entered the duel arena—the finalists in this tournament were all waiting there. "Now, I will announce the semifinal match-ups." He pulled a remote out of his pocket and pushed a button, turning on a monitor and displaying the match-ups for the semifinals. "The first duel of the semifinals will be Ryo Marufuji and Fubuki Tenjoin versus Prince Ojin and Takuma Saiou!"

Spectators were entering, filling in the stands, as Misawa spoke.

"Right off the bat, we've got a duel with the Light," Judai muttered. "You think they can win?" he asked Asuka.

"This is Ryo and my brother we're talking about! You've dueled both of them, so you tell me."

Judai shrugged. "Well, your brother wasn't himself when I dueled him, and I didn't even try against Ryo, so I can't say for sure."

Asuka smiled. "Don't worry. They're both great duelists."

"I'll take your word for it."

"Alright, will the duelists take their places, please!" Misawa called. "The rest of you should prepare for your upcoming match!"

"Yeah, right," Judai muttered as Manjoume and Ai left the arena to prepare. "I'm watching this. If Ryo and Fubuki can win this, then I don't have to worry about taking Saiou and Ojin out myself."

"You do realize that _we_ would be the ones dueling, not just you," Asuka said. "Relax, Judai. You're getting too tense."

"The fate of the world depends on the outcome of today's tournament, and you think I'm getting too tense," he said flatly.

"Yes, because you need to focus on the duels, not the pressure!" Asuka responded. "Just try to pretend that there's nothing at stake here, okay?"

"Yeah, okay. I'll try."

Judai and Asuka went to join their friends in the stands. Jim had said, after all, that he had someone he wanted Judai to meet.

"Ah, there you are, Judai!" Jim said, smiling, as Judai walked over and sat down beside him.

"Yeah, I'm here. Where's your new friend?"

"That would be me." Judai looked past Jim to the blue-eyed blond woman sitting beside him. She was wearing faded blue jeans with holes in the knees, and a red tube top with black designs etched into it. Her shirt ended a few inches above the waistband of her jeans, showing a few inches of bare midriff. "I'm Akiko. Nice to meet you."

She didn't sound too happy about meeting him, but he decided to let that slide. "Yeah, you, too." Turning back to Jim, he said, "Any particular reason you wanted me to meet her?"

Jim stood up. "Switch places with me, Akiko," he said.

Akiko rolled her eyes but scooted over. Judai inched away from her slightly, wanting to put a few inches between himself and this possible threat.

"Hey, Judai," Ed's voice said. Turning, Judai saw Ed standing in the aisle beside Asuka.

"Ed! Hey! I guess you lost yesterday, huh?"

Ed grimaced. "Yeah. I guess destiny wasn't on my side."

"I still don't believe in prearranged fate, Ed," Judai said, staring forward. "You create your own destiny. And Saiou's loss today will prove that to you."

Ed shrugged. "Whatever. We'll see who's right."

Judai raised an eyebrow at Ed. "Who are you rooting for, exactly?"

"You know the answer to that."

"No, I'm not sure that I do, actually."

"You two sound like an old married couple," Akiko said, a lame look on her face.

Judai and Ed just stared at her. Asuka smothered a laugh, and Jim smirked.

When he recovered, Ed asked, "Who's she?"

"Akiko. And I can speak for myself, thank you very much."

Judai looked at Jim. "Remind me what you see in her?"

"Hey, I resent that!"

"Now, now," Jim said. "You two don't even know each other. Judai, Akiko grew up in Misgarth, so she thinks you're the enemy. Akiko, Judai has every right to be suspicious of you, given his current predicament. You both need to look past your differences and get to know each other. Give each other the benefit of the doubt."

Judai sighed. "Fine, Jim. If you trust her, I'll give her a chance."

Akiko raised an eyebrow. "And here I heard you Neo-Spacian royals were hard to reason with."

"Well, you shouldn't believe everything you hear," Judai said, shrugging. "I'm only unreasonable in certain situations."

"Like when you should be resting instead of running around?" Yubel asked from behind him. "Because you never do stay in bed longer than an hour without making a fuss."

Akiko laughed. "You sound like quite the handful."

Blushing, Judai said, "Oh, look, the duel's starting!"

Ryo and Fubuki: 8000  
Ojin and Saiou: 8000

"I'll go first, gentlemen!" Ojin said, drawing his card. "Oh, my hand couldn't be any better." He looked at Saiou out of the corner of his eye. "Saiou, I'm afraid you might not get to make a move this duel. It just might end on this turn."

"By all means, go right ahead, my prince," Saiou said, bowing.

"That's impossible!" Fubuki said. "We've got 8000 life points, and there's nothing on your field!"

"Not to mention that you can't attack on the first turn," Ryo added, his arms crossed.

Ojin smirked. Judai didn't like the look on his face one bit. "Here it comes..."

"I'll start by activating Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two more cards!" Ojin glanced over his cards and smirked again. "I was right. This duel will end on this turn. Next, I activate Cost Down! I discard one card in my hand to lower the level of all monsters in my hand by 2 this turn. So, I'll summon my Satellite Cannon!" (Atk 0)

A satellite appeared on the field...sort of. People could see it on the monitor because it was way up in space, not down here where everyone could see it.

"Next, I activate Charge! This card raises the attack power of all Satellite Cannons I control by 2000! But that's not all! I activate Limiter Removal to double its attack power!"

"Why would he do that?" Asuka asked. "It's still the first turn! He can't attack, and his monster will be destroyed during the end phase because of Limiter Removal's effect."

Judai was really getting a bad feeling—Ojin was up to something. _One-Turn Kill deck, huh?_

"I know people always say less is more, but I disagree! I activate another Limiter Removal, doubling my monster's attack from 4000 to 8000!"

"S-so what!?" Fubuki asked, obviously stunned by the attack power that Ojin's monster now had. "It's the first turn! You can't attack us on the first turn!"

Ojin smirked, holding up the last card in his hand. "Mischief of the Time Goddess. This skips ahead to my next turn. More specifically, to the battle phase of my next turn!"

"What!?" Ryo exclaimed.

"My Satellite Cannon attacks you directly!"

The satellite fired a laser at Ryo and Fubuki, reducing their life points to zero before they could even make a move.

Ryo and Fubuki: 0  
Ojin and Saiou: 8000

Misawa just gawked for a moment before recovering his wits enough to remember that he was supposed to be an announcer. "W-well, that was a short duel. It appears that Prince Ojin and Saiou will be advancing to the final round!"

Judai stood up. "Well, Akiko, I'm sorry we only had about five minutes to get to know each other before I have to go."

Akiko shrugged. "Hey, I didn't think that duel would last _that_ long! Obviously Prince Ojin was having a little fun toying around with them, probably to intimidate you and your partner."

"Well, it didn't work," Judai said. "Come on, Asuka. We have a duel with Manjoume and his stalker."

Still stunned by how brief that duel had been, Asuka said, "R-right."

"Let the second duel of the semifinals commence!" Misawa exclaimed. "Prince Judai and Asuka Tenjoin versus Jun Manjoume and Ai Toritsuku!"

Judai grinned at Manjoume. "Well, it looks like you and I finally get to go at it, Manjoume."

"Bring it on, Judai!" Manjoume answered.

"Ai, is it?" Asuka asked. "No offense, but you and Manjoume don't stand a chance."

"We'll see about that, blondie!"

"DUEL!"

Ryo and Fubuki took their seats in the audience, joining Jim and the others.

"I can't believe we actually lost on his first turn!" Fubuki said, dumbfounded. "How did he manage that one? Is that really how that Time Goddess card works?"

"Unfortunately, nobody knows much about Mischief of the Time Goddess," Ryo said, his tone showing how much this loss was bothering him. "Ojin's the only duelist who has that card, at least from what I know."

"Well, there really wasn't anything you could do," Jim's blond friend said, smirking at them. "I mean, Prince Ojin's deck is designed to take opponents out swiftly. I wouldn't be surprised if your prince lost just as fast as you two."

Ryo glared at her while Fubuki asked, "Remind me, Jim, who exactly this is?"

Judai and Asuka: 8000  
Manjoume and Ai: 8000

"I'll go first!" Manjoume said, drawing a card. "I summon Armed Dragon Lv 3!" (Def 900)

A little orange dragon appeared on Manjoume's field.

"Dragon, huh?" Judai asked, smiling. "Man, this is awesome! I finally get to see what kind of deck you use!"

"Pay attention to the duel, loser!" Manjoume retorted. "I end my turn."

"I'm next!" Judai said as he drew his card. "I summon Neo-Spacian Grand Mole in defense mode!" (300)

As Judai had said, a mole appeared on his field. Attached to either side of a piece of armor on the mole were half of a drill.

"Then I play one card face down and end my turn."

Ai didn't say anything—she just drew her card, her eyes closed, and struck a rather dramatic pose.

"Quit messing around, Ai!" Manjoume yelled. "Let's beat these guys so we can go on to the finals!"

Ai looked at Manjoume. "Oh, we'll beat these guys, alright, Jun," she said, her tone suddenly dramatically different than any Manjoume had ever heard her use. "And, once we do, you and I will be wed! By orders of the new ruler of Neo Space!"

"Uh, technically, I grant whatever _both_ duelists want, and that's not an option if Manjoume doesn't want it," Judai said. "Also, I won't be the ruler of Neo Space then. I'll still just be prince."

Ai smiled evilly. "Yes, but I'm not talking about you. I'm talking about Prince Ojin! When I defeat you, Ojin will win the tournament hands down, and I'll be rewarded for my loyalty and my hard work!"

"You work for Ojin!?"

"Indeed. And I'm going to take you down, for the sake of my kingdom!" She cast a glare at Manjoume. "Jun, darling, you're a real duelist, so I expect that you won't hold back. After all, it would be a disgrace on your family if you did, and your brothers would disown you for sure. This _is_ on national television, after all."

Manjoume gritted his teeth. Here he was, dueling alongside a crazed fangirl who, apparently, worked for the enemy! Why did that just figure? "What's a disgrace on my family is that I'm dueling with you as my partner! There's no way I'm doing this! You can count me out!"

Manjoume moved his hand toward his duel disk, ready to surrender, when Ai pulled a button out of her pocket.

Judai's eyes widened. "Manjoume, look out!"

Manjoume turned to look at Ai, his eyes widening when he saw the button she was holding. "What's that?" he asked.

"Well, I figured you'd say something like that, so I implanted a chip in you while you were asleep!"

"You did _what_ now!?"

She giggled. "You're so cute when you're sleeping, Jun! And, with those earplugs, it was easy not to wake you up with the noise. Once I got over to your bed, all I had to do was make sure you stayed out, which is where that chloroform I always carry with me came in handy!"

"You carry chloroform with you!? At _all_ times!?"

"Yes, I do! And it's a good thing, too, because getting that chip into you was so much easier when you were completely zonked out than it would have been if you'd woken up sometime!"

Manjoume narrowed his eyes. "What, pray tell, does this chip do, and where is it exactly?"

"It's in the back of your neck, and it doesn't do anything if you duel seriously. However, if you don't, I push this button, and the chip blows up. Trust me when I say that it's quite the lethal explosive. We've stuck it in people before, and they've all been blown to bits!" She gave him a sad look. "Now, I really don't want to have to do that to you, darling, but I will if I have to. My country comes first!"

Judai had heard more than enough. "Ai! If I win this duel, not only are you not going to be getting your reward for taking me out, but you're going to give me that damn control! And you're gonna tell me how to deactivate that bomb! _And_ you're going away for the rest of your life!"

In the audience, Ojin stood up. "That's one of my people you're threatening there, Judai! Watch your tongue!"

"It's one of _my_ people she's stuck a _bomb_ in! Ojin, you'll be lucky if I don't use your own satellite to blow you up after this one! I mean, since you obviously like blowing stuff up so much!"

Akiko looked at Jim. "Should I take it that's the stress talking?" She had a lame look on her face, as if she was just humoring Jim.

Jim shook his head. "Nah, sheila. That's not stress. That's anger. Manjoume's a friend, and Judai doesn't take too well to someone threatening his friends. But, I assure you, the only one he's going to punish is going to be that girl, Ai."

"So, what you're saying is that Judai isn't a threat to Misgarth as long as Prince Ojin doesn't order Ai to blow Manjoume sky high?"

Jim looked at Akiko, his eye wide. "You don't think that's a possibility, do you? Because _I'd_ probably beat Judai to the punch if it happened."

Akiko smiled. "You Neo-Spacians really value friendship, don't you?"

"It's fine, Judai," Manjoume said, gritting his teeth. "Ai, if I duel your way, win or lose, you won't blow me up?"

"Of course not!"

"Does anyone else have access to any sort of controls for this...thing?"

Ai shook her head. "Just little old me."

Manjoume looked at Judai. "Okay. We duel. I'll cooperate with Ai, and you two do your best to make sure you win, got it?"

Judai locked eyes with Manjoume for a moment before nodding. "Right. Mark my words, we _won't_ lose!"


	41. Chapter 40

**Okay, sorry for the wait! I realize I left off on a nasty cliffhanger, but it's finals week! Anyway, enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Well, now that that's settled, I'll get on with my turn!" Ai said. "I summon Lady Beetle in defense mode!" (1600)

A giant beetle materialized on Ai's field.

"Then I play one card face down and end my turn."

Asuka narrowed her eyes as she drew her card. "Ai," she said, "you're going to regret threatening Manjoume like that. I summon Cyber Tutu!" (Atk 1000)

The pink-haired prima did a pirouette as she appeared on Asuka's field.

"Then I play one card face down and end my turn."

Manjoume drew his next card. "During my standby phase, Armed Dragon LV 3's effect activates! By sending this card to the graveyard, I can summon Armed Dragon LV 5 (Atk 2400) from my hand or deck."

The little orange dragon grew into a red and black dragon with spikes all over its body.

"Armed Dragon LV 5 attacks Cyber Tutu!"

"I activate my face-down card, Negate Attack!" Judai said. "Cyber Tutu's safe, and the battle's over."

"Hmph. You got lucky, Judai! Turn end."

"I'm up, then!" Judai said, drawing his next card. "I activate Fake Hero! This card lets me summon a monster, but it can't attack, and it goes back to my hand at the end of my turn. I'll use it to summon Elemental Hero Neos!" (Atk 2500)

The white hero with red designs, hero of Neo Space, appeared on Judai's field.

"Judai!" Manjoume yelled. "Where did you get cards like those!? What's that mole gonna do, and what good is a monster that can't attack and leaves the field at the end phase!? Are you really that stupid!?"

Judai just grinned. "Manjoume, insulting your prince on national television... You should be ashamed of yourself. I know what I'm doing."

"We're in the middle of a duel, I have a bomb in me, and you're cracking jokes and playing like an amateur," Manjoume said. "I disagree!"

True, Judai _was _cracking jokes at a pretty bad time, but that was because he was keeping Asuka's words from earlier in mind. _**"You need to focus on the duels, not the pressure! Just try to pretend there's nothing at stake here, okay?"**_

"I disagree, too!" Judai retorted. "I am _not _playing like an amateur. Neos! Grand Mole! Contact Fusion!"

"Contact what, now?" Manjoume asked.

"Neos can fuse with any of the Neo-Spacians without a Polymerization card! So, say 'hello' to Elemental Hero Grand Neos!" (Atk 2500)

Neos and Grand Mole flew into the sky, vanishing in a flash of light as they neared each other. When the light died down, a humanoid brown creature in green armor with a drill for a hand descended on the field.

"Grand Neos can return one of the opponent's monster's to the owner's hand once per turn. So, you're Armed Dragon LV 5 is leaving the arena!"

Neos charged at the dragon, using its drill to drive it off the field. Manjoume scowled.

"Next, I activate the field spell, Neo Space! This raises all Neos fusion monster's attack power by 500! It also negates Grand Neos's effect that would return it to my extra deck during my end phase."

The field changed, surrounding the players with rainbow colors.

"Okay, Neo Space is weird," Ai said, looking around. "Although it _is_ pretty!"

Judai glared at Ai. "Yeah? Well, enjoy it while you can because you're not gonna be seeing anything but gray walls after this! Grand Neos attacks Lady Beetle!"

Judai's hero attacked the beetle, hitting it dead-on, yet nothing happened.

"Oh, dear, did I forget to mention that?" Ai asked sarcastically. "Lady Beetle can't be destroyed in one attack. It takes two."

Judai scowled. "I end my turn."

"It's back to me, then!" Ai said as she drew her next card. "I summon Rose Papillon in attack mode!" (1400)

A butterfly with rose petals for wings appeared on the field.

"When there's another insect-type monster on the field, Rose Papillon can attack directly. So, my Rose Papillon, go for it! Direct attack on the filthy prince!"

It flapped its wings, sending rose petals flying at Judai and Asuka.

Judai and Asuka: 6600  
Manjoume and Ai: 8000

"Isn't this sad? You're losing already, and I haven't even pulled out my best cards yet."

"Don't get cocky, Ai," Judai said. "We're just getting warmed up."

Ai waved it off. "Whatever. It's your turn, blondie."

This girl was really starting to get on Asuka's nerves.

"Alright," she said, drawing her card. Just what she needed. "I'll start by activating my face-down card, Prima Light! This has me send Cyber Tutu to the graveyard to summon Cyber Prima from my hand!" (Atk 2300)

Cyber Tutu was engulfed in light. When the light faded, Asuka's bleach-blond prima was standing there instead.

"Cyber Prima attacks your Rose Papillon!"

"Aah!" Ai whined. "It's not fair! You can't do that!"

The prima twirled in, dealing a lethal blow to the butterfly.

Judai and Asuka: 6600  
Manjoume and Ai: 7100

"That ends my turn."

Manjoume drew his next card. "Okay, I activate Enchanting Fitting Room! I pay 800 life points to draw four cards, then I summon any level 3 or lower normal monsters I draw. Any other cards go back to my deck, which is then shuffled."

Judai and Asuka: 6600  
Manjoume and Ai: 6300

"Jun, I hope you know what you're doing," Ai hissed as Manjoume drew his cards.

"Oh, look at that. Three useless monsters. Perfect. I summon Ojama Yellow, Ojama Black, and Ojama Green!" (Def 1000)

Three tiny—and very strange-looking—creatures, one yellow and bearing resemblance to a slug, one green with only one eye, and one black appeared on Manjoume's field, striking a dramatic pose. They were all wearing bikini briefs.

Judai blinked. "Manjoume, I never pegged you as the type to use Ojamas. I mean, you always seemed like the kind of guy who'd judge a monster by its attack strength."

"Aniki!" Ojama Yellow said, turning to Manjoume. "You summoned us!"

"Does this mean that he likes us?" Green asked Black.

"Well, you never know."

"Shut up, you lousy Zero-attacks!" Manjoume bellowed. "All I need you for is one thing!" As Manjoume spoke, he pulled a card from his hand. "I activate Ojama Delta Hurricane!"

"Alright! Our ultimate move!" Yellow said.

The three Ojamas put their bums together and started spinning, rising up into the air and forming a cyclone.

"Ojama!" Yellow said.

"Delta!" Green yelled.

"Hurricane!" Black finished.

The Ojamas rose up into the air, spinning onto Judai and Asuka's field and wiping out all of their cards.

"Wait, what just happened?" Judai asked.

"When Ojamas Black, Yellow, and Green are on the field, Ojama Delta Hurricane destroys all of the opponent's cards."

"Way to go, Jun, darling!" Ai cheered.

The Ojamas were dancing around on Manjoume's field, celebrating their victory.

"Then I play one card face down and end my turn."

Judai drew his next card, glancing at it and grinning. "Oh, Manjoume. You're going to regret that. Really, you are. I summon Elemental Hero Woodsman in defense mode!" (2000)

The green man with the wooden arm and leg that had been used by Koyo in Judai's last duel of the prelims took its place on Judai's field.

"Then I play one card face down and end my turn," Judai finished.

"It's my turn!" Ai said, drawing her card. "I activate Graceful Charity! I draw three cards, then discard 2." She glanced at her hand before looking at Manjoume. "Mind if I borrow your monsters?"

Manjoume shrugged. "Why are you asking? You're gonna do it no matter what I say, so have at it."

"Thanks, Jun!" she said in a chipper voice. "I sacrifice the Ojama Trio to summon Queen Butterfly Danaus!" (Atk 2800)

It was huge, and it had eight wings. Each of its wings had an eye design on it, giving the impression that it was staring at you with four pairs of eyes.

"Danaus attacks Woodsman!"

"I activate my trap card, Hero Barrier!" Judai said, revealing his face-down card. "This negates one attack as long as there's an Elemental Hero on my field."

Ai sighed. "Drawing out your demise, huh? Oh, well, turn end."

Asuka drew her next card. "I'll start by activating Polymerization! I fuse the Etoile Cyber and Blade Skater in my hand to summon my Cyber Blader!" (Atk 2100)

As Asuka's blue-haired figure skater took her place on the field, Ai said, "So what? It's got less attack points than Danaus."

"Cyber Blader's attack power doubles if you control two monsters."

"What!?"

Judai grinned. _Man, I love that card._

"So, since she now has more attack points than your Queen, Cyber Blader attacks Queen Butterfly Danaus!"

"I activate Danaus's effect!" Ai said. "By reducing her attack to 0, I can special summon 3 insect-type monsters of level 4 or lower from my graveyard!"

"But there's only one in your graveyard!" Judai protested.

"Not true. I sent a couple to the grave when I activated Graceful Charity earlier. So, I summon Rose Papillon (Atk 1400), Roachie (Def 1000), and White Papillon!" (Def 200)

The rose butterfly from earlier, along with a cockroach and a white butterfly, appeared on Ai's field.

"So, does your monster have a special effect when I control five monsters?" Ai taunted.

Asuka growled a bit. "Maybe not, but your monster has no attack power now. It's the same as a direct attack!"

Cyber Blader destroyed the queen butterfly easily, leaving Ai with four monsters on her field.

Judai and Asuka: 6600  
Manjoume and Ai: 4200

"That ends my turn."

Manjoume drew his card. "I summon V-Tiger Jet, defense mode." (1800)

A green and yellow jet, shaped like a tiger, appeared on Manjoume's field.

"Turn end."

"It's my turn!" Judai drew his card. "During my standby phase, Woodsman's effect activates! I can add Polymerization to my hand. And I'll use it right now! I fuse Woodsman with the Ocean in my hand to summon Elemental Hero Terra Firma!" (Atk 2500)

"There it is!" Koyo said to himself, watching on television at home. "Put it to good use, Judai."

"Oh, so you've got a Planet series card?" Ai asked.

Judai growled at her. "So _you've_ got the last one!?" he demanded. "Why am I not surprised?"

"I never said that."

"Just get on with your turn, Judai!" Manjoume bellowed.

"Terra Firma attacks Rose Papillon!"

"I think now's a good time to activate my trap!" Ai said. "I've been saving this for a rainy day, but it's not going to be necessary after my next turn. Spider Restraint! This lowers your monster's attack power by 500!"

"It's still more than enough to destroy your monster!"

Judai and Asuka: 6600  
Manjoume and Ai: 3600

"Turn end."

Ai drew her next card. "Try 'Duel end,' Judai. I sacrifice Roachie, White Papillon, and Lady Beetle to summon The Tripper Mercury!" (Atk 2000)

A warrior in red armor with a red cape and a clear sword appeared on Ai's field.

"That doesn't go with your insects," Manjoume said. "What the heck's a warrior-type monster doing in _your _deck!?"

"This is the last of the Planet series," Ai said, ignoring Manjoume. "The Tripper Mercury. It can be summoned with only two sacrifices, but that's not good enough! You deserve to be crushed by Mercury at its full power, _Prince_ Judai! When Mercury's summoned with three sacrifices, the attack of all other monsters on the field becomes 0!"

"What!?"

"Hey! That hits _us_, too, Ai!"

"Don't worry, Jun, darling. All we need is Mercury to win this duel." Ai turned her attention to Judai. "You're the one I want to crush. You're the heir to the throne that threatens my kingdom, and the one my prince hates so much! So, Judai, Mercury attacks Terra Firma!" She smirked. "Without any attack power, it's like I'm attacking you directly, isn't it?"

Mercury slashed through Terra Firma, destroying the weakened hero.

Judai and Asuka: 4600  
Manjoume and Ai: 3600

When Ai's attack connected, Judai cried out in pain. He had _felt_ that!

Judai groaned. "Oh, not this again..." He glared at Ai. "When did this turn into a shadow game!?"

"Shadow game?" Asuka asked.

"When I summoned Mercury! I would have done it sooner, but I figured I'd save it. After all, with Mercury on my field, I can almost guarantee that the only one I'll be attacking is you." Ai sneered. "I mean, if you don't summon a monster of your own to defend yourself, I'll be forced to attack your partner."

Judai glanced at Asuka, a thought occurring to him. He looked back at Ai. "We're sharing life points!" he said. "Why didn't she feel that?"

"It's my rules, that's why," Ai answered. "Only the one who controls the destroyed monster feels any pain. You feel the pain _your _monster feels, not the pain your _partner's_ monster feels. A direct attack is felt by both players, though."

Judai snarled. "Ai! This puts everyone at risk! You and Manjoume as well!"

Ai shrugged. "I'm fine as long as I have Mercury. And so's dear Jun. Mercury will reduce the attack power of any monster you summon to 0, so all you'd do by attacking is destroy your own monster, especially since defense points aren't affected and Jun's monster is in defense mode."

"Why do you hate me so much!?" Judai demanded. "What did I ever do to you!?"

"It's not what you've done to me! It's what you and your family are going to do to my kingdom! I'm the princess of Misgarth, younger sister to Prince Ojin, and, as such, I can't let you threaten my people!"

Everyone stared. "Seriously?" Judai asked.

"Yes, seriously. You're telling me you didn't recognize me, Judai?" She shook her head. "Honestly, Judai, you're so dense!"

"Cut me some slack! The last time I saw you, you were a shy little girl!"

Ai sighed, shaking her head. "Judai. You're an idiot. And you're _not_ going to win this duel!"

Judai growled. Ai smirked. Asuka wondered why for a moment, until she heard Manjoume scream. When she looked, he was looking at Judai, his eyes wide.

"Judai!" Manjoume said. "You're bleeding!"

Asuka's attention snapped to Judai, and her eyes widened in horror. Manjoume was right. There was a gash across his chest, exactly where Mercury had slashed through Terra Firma. Even though it didn't look lethal, Judai _was_ wounded.

Judai glanced down, placing a hand on his chest. "It's just a scratch," he said.

_That may be true,_ Asuka thought. _But what if Ai attacks him again? How many attacks will it take for him to be seriously hurt?_

"Ai, this duel is sick!" Asuka yelled. "Stop this!"

"A shadow game can't be stopped once it's started," Ai said. "You're just going to have to deal with it. I end my turn."

Asuka glared at Ai. "Then it's my turn!" She glanced at her cards—nothing that could get rid of Mercury. "I switch Cyber Blader to defense mode. (800) That ends my turn."

"Wow, never thought I'd see this," Akiko said, stunned. "The princess using dark powers to cause harm...and to someone who hasn't yet threatened the kingdom."

Jim looked at her, his expression serious. "Maybe _your_ royal family is the one that we should be worried about."

Akiko didn't answer. Jim turned his attention back to the duel, which was now a matter of life and death for three of his friends.

Manjoume drew a card, looking bored. "I see no reason to do anything. Turn end."

"Then it's my turn," Judai said. _And I'd better make it count._

He wasn't about to admit it, but that cut wasn't just a "little scratch." He didn't think it would kill him, but he wasn't so sure how he'd be faring after Ai's next turn if she attacked him again...and he wasn't too keen on finding out, either.

He drew his card, glancing at it before saying, "I activate Pot of Greed! This lets me draw two more cards." Glancing at his new cards, he smiled slightly—at least that card would last through Ai's next attack. "Clayman, defense mode!" (2000)

Ai's jaw dropped. "Seriously? A monster with just enough defense points to squeeze by?"

"That's it for me this turn."

Ai drew her next card. "Well, then, I guess I'll have to attack your partner...or activate the spell card, Stop Defense! With this card, I'll switch Clayman into attack mode!"

Judai recoiled as Clayman stood up, ready to do battle with Mercury. Due to the opposing monster's effect, Clayman had no attack points.

Ai smirked, enjoying Judai's suffering. "Mercury, attack Clayman!"

Mercury sliced Judai's monster in half yet again. When it did, Judai felt the pain from its blade. He cried out in pain as another cut appeared on his chest, crossing over the first one.

Judai and Asuka: 2600  
Manjoume and Ai: 3600

Judai gasped for air, trying to recover from that attack.

"Judai!?" Asuka called, worried.

"I...I'm okay," he said. The pain was bad enough, but throwing the physical damage in just made it worse. _Guess Fubuki being controlled by Darkness wasn't as sadistic as Ai, which is kinda sad when you think about it..._

Ai smiled. "Turn end."

Asuka drew her next card. "Turn end."

"Don't worry about me—I'll just pass this turn," Manjoume said, looking bored.

Judai got the feeling Manjoume was trying to help him, but it would be easier if he'd change that monster into attack mode already. "Draw."

He glanced at his card. _Just what I needed._

"I summon Winged Kuriboh!" (Def 200)

Ai laughed. "Oh, that's gonna help you a lot!"

Ignoring her, Judai continued, "I play one card face down and end my turn."

He looked at Asuka out of the corner of his eye. She was checking the set card on her duel disk, and her eyes widened. She glanced at him and nodded slightly.

"Well, it's back to me, then," Ai said, drawing her card lazily. "You know, you'll get hurt even if your life points remain in tact, right?" At Judai's grimace, she continued, "No? Well, you will. After all, _you're _my target, Judai, not your life points! Mercury, attack the little puffball!"

"Not so fast!" Asuka said. "We're activating a face-down card!"

"You don't have any!" Ai protested.

"No, but Judai does!"

Judai pushed a button on his duel disk, revealing a quick-play spell card. The image showed a little girl with angel wings, and a woman behind her.

"Transcendent Wings," he said. "Though I can't activate it on my own because I don't have any cards in my hand."

"So, I'll send two of _my _cards to the graveyard as the cost," Asuka said, sending two cards to the grave.

"Now, I can summon Winged Kuriboh LV 10!" (Def 200)

"Big, fat, hairy deal!" Ai said. "So it's got a nice costume! That doesn't mean it's going to be any help!"

"You really shouldn't underestimate my card, Ai," Judai said. "Like Manjoume's Ojamas, it's got some tricks you don't know about. Winged Kuriboh LV 10, use your special ability!" The monster began to glow as Judai continued. "By sacrificing this card, I can destroy all attack position monsters on the opponent's field, dealing damage to the opponent equal to the combined original attack of those monsters!"

"What!?" Ai whined.

"That means that Mercury's about to be wiped out!"

Winged Kuriboh burst into light, sending rays of light flying at The Tripper Mercury and destroying it.

Judai and Asuka: 2600  
Manjoume and Ai: 1600

Ai cried out in pain as her monster was destroyed. She whined. "No! No, it's not fair!"

"Got anything else you want to do, Ai?" Asuka asked. "Because I'd like to get on with this duel."

Looking desperately at her hand, Ai's eyes started watering. "No... Turn end."

Asuka drew her next card. "Then I think we can end this on this turn." She looked at Manjoume apologetically. "I apologize in advance. With Mercury gone, Cyber Blader's attack power returns to normal! I switch her back to attack position. Next, I attack V-Tiger Jet!"

Cyber Blader spun into Manjoume's monster, destroying it on impact. Manjoume flinched slightly, then blinked as though that hadn't been at all what he expected.

"Wow. I just go kicked. That hurt soo much," he said sarcastically.

Judai grimaced, knowing that Manjoume was making fun of him. "Well, hey, try getting sliced open by a sword."

"Next, I activate De-Fusion!"

Ai recoiled. "Wait, what...?"

"By canceling Cyber Blader's fusion, I summon Etoile Cyber (Atk 1200) and Blade Skater (Atk 1400) to my field!"

The two monsters appeared on Asuka's field—the figure skater in the purple costume with the blades on her arms and the red-clad ballerina.

"When Etoile Cyber attacks the opponent directly, she gains 500 attack points."

"What!?"

"Etoile Cyber, attack them directly!"

Etoile Cyber spun in, kicking Ai in the gut and ending the duel.

Judai and Asuka: 2600  
Manjoume and Ai: 0

Ai fell to her knees. "No... How could I _lose_?"

Manjoume glared at her. "How? Because you were dueling against _Judai_! He's no ordinary opponent, and dirty tricks won't work on him! That's just what happens when you play dirty."

Asuka turned to Judai. "Judai, are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He took a step forward and stumbled.

Asuka caught him, and Manjoume hurried over to help. There was a lot of commotion in the stands as well, and Asuka could only guess that the rest of their friends were coming as well.

Judai laughed shortly. "Okay, I could be better. But I'll _be_ fine, don't worry." He stood up, holding Asuka's arm for support, and walked over to Ai. "Ai. We had a deal. That bomb. How do I deactivate it?"

Ai sighed. "Oh, there was never any bomb to begin with," she said dejectedly. "It was a bluff."

There was a thud as Manjoume hit the ground. Judai raised an eyebrow. "So, what's that button do?"

"Opens my family's garage."

Asuka was torn between relief that Manjoume had never been in any real danger and anger that Judai _had_ been. "But that shadow game _was_ real?"

"Of course," Ai said. "Even though I didn't defeat you, I've at least weakened you for your duel with my brother. Trust me when I say that I have no regrets. Go ahead, Judai, arrest me."

Judai stared at her for a moment, the rest of their friends gathering around. Sho was biting his nails, looking at Judai anxiously, while Ryo tried to calm him down. Glancing at the audience, Judai saw Ojin glaring at him.

_If I arrest her, it'll start a war between Misgarth and Neo Space. That's the last thing I need._

"Get out of here," he said.

"Judai?" Asuka looked at him in confusion.

Akiko raised an eyebrow. "You're letting her go?"

"Hurry up before I change my mind."

Ai stood up, looking at Judai like she had never seen him before. "You know, I don't think I'm the only one who's changed in the past decade," she said. "The Judai _I_ remember would have had me thrown in the dungeon."

Judai smiled slightly. "Times change. People, too."

"Clearly." Ai stared at him for another moment before walking off.

"Why did you let her go!?" Manjoume yelled. "Sure, she may not have put a bomb in me, but she still started a shadow game with you!"

"If I start arresting people for challenging me to dangerous duels," Judai said, closing his eyes, "I have to arrest Ryo, too."

"Aniki, are you all right?" Sho asked.

Judai looked at him, smiling reassuringly. "I'll be fine."

Jim studied him for a moment before saying, "Right, well, we should take you to the infirmary, just to be safe."

Judai was about to protest that he had a duel when Misawa made an announcement.

"Alright! The winners of the second duel of the semifinals are Judai and Asuka! However, in light of recent events, we'll have a one-hour intermission before the final duel."

Judai sighed. "Alright, I'll go. But let's not forget that I _have_ to duel those two, okay?"

Asuka looked at him, concern written all over her face. Judai was wounded—should he really be dueling?

"Don't look at me like that, Asuka," Judai said. "I'm the one with the Righteous Power of Darkness, so I'm the one who has to fight the Light of Destruction. You don't have a chance of a snowball in Hell of talking me out of finishing this."

"He's right," O'Brien said. "If you two don't duel Saiou and Ojin in the finals, then they win by default."

"So, basically, it's either risk Judai's health or end the world," Fubuki said thoughtfully.

Ed shrugged. "Obvious choice, don't you think?"

Though he was right, Asuka glared at him for that nonchalant comment. "Did anyone ask you?"

"Look," Ryo said before Ed could retort, "we're wasting time. Let's just get Judai to the infirmary so that he can be treated, and I'm sure he'll be fine in the next duel."

Akiko smirked at Ryo. "Let's just hope _their_ duel with Prince Ojin lasts longer than yours did."

Ryo and Fubuki glared at her. "Oh, just shut up," Fubuki said.


	42. Chapter 41

**Okay, I think I've got all the kinks worked out of this chapter. Just in time for Christmas, so merry Christmas, everyone! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

"Well, it's a good thing you came to me, Judai," Ayukawa said.

"Is he going to be okay?" Asuka asked, concern showing clearly in her tone.

"He'll be fine if he gets some rest."

Judai shook his head. "That's not an option right now. I've got to finish this tournament."

Yubel looked at him, startled. "Judai, you're wounded! You need to—"

Judai held up a hand, saying, "I thought we already agreed that I need to get back out there and duel. You aren't talking me out of it, so don't even try."

Yubel looked ready to protest some more, but sighed instead, turning away. Judai stood up, wobbling slightly.

"Now, let's get this over with. After that, I'll lay down and get some rest, okay?"

Sho didn't look like he was happy with this arrangement; Johan didn't seem too thrilled, either.

"I have an idea! Why don't I fill in for you?" Johan asked. "I'll dress up as you, use your deck. I mean, we've got so much in common, no one would know the difference anyway!"

"No, Johan. This is my fight, and I'm not taking the coward's way out." He looked at his friend. "I started this, and I'm going to finish it. Besides, there is one serious difference between the two of us—_you _don't have the power that I have."

With a sigh, Johan said, "I guess you're right..."

Judai nodded. "If that's settled, Asuka and I need to get back to the arena before the duel starts. Otherwise we'll be disqualified." He glanced at Asuka. "Are you ready?"

Honestly, with Judai in the condition he was now, Asuka wished they could postpone the tournament—but she knew that wasn't going to happen. There was no other choice but for them to duel Ojin and Saiou now.

Hesitantly, Asuka nodded.

Judai smiled reassuringly. "Then let's go."

* * *

"Ah, I see you decided to duel after all, Judai," Ojin taunted as Judai entered the arena.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Ojin."

Saiou smiled. "Well, I knew that you would come. Fate has already decided the winner of this duel, however, and I'm afraid it doesn't end well for you."

"We'll see about that," Asuka said.

Misawa stood in the center of the duel field, holding a microphone. "Well, it seems both teams are ready! So, without further ado, let's get on with the final match of this tournament, Prince Ojin and Saiou versus Prince Judai and Asuka!"

The crowd was going crazy—this was, for all intents and purposes, a showdown between two kingdoms that had been at odds with each other for some time now. Misawa stepped out of the arena.

"Alright, Ojin!" Judai said. "Are you ready to settle this once and for all?"

"I sure am, Judai!" Ojin answered, activating his duel disk. "Let's get this duel underway!"

"DUEL!"

Judai and Asuka: 8000  
Saiou and Ojin: 8000

"Our team first, Ojin," Judai said. Glancing at Asuka, he added, "Ladies first."

Asuka nodded before drawing a card. "I summon Etoile Cyber in attack mode!" (1200)

The red-clad ballerina appeared on Asuka's field.

"That ends my turn."

Ojin smirked. "So, you're the future queen of Neo Space?" He shook his head. "This is what happens when the prince goes running around with peasants."

"What's that supposed to mean!?" Asuka asked, too offended to even bother protesting the queen bit.

"I always knew that Judai would fall for a commoner. You know, no child you two have will be fit to rule. It's a good thing that I'm going to take the kingdom off Judai's hands for him!"

"That's enough, Ojin!" Judai snapped. "I won't tolerate another bad word about Asuka!"

"Of course not," Ojin said, "because you're in love with her. You Neo-Spacian royals are really quite backward. This sort of abomination would never happen in Misgarth."

"The abomination is you! You know nothing about Neo Space, so shut your trap, Ojin!"

Ojin smirked again. "So defensive! Why, if I didn't already know, I'd say you two were in love!"

"We are _not _in love!" Asuka exclaimed, earning a strange look from Judai.

With a satisfied smile, Ojin drew his first card. "Well, it's my turn, then. I summon Satellite Base!" (Def 0)

Just as last time, Ojin's monster was shown on the screen instead of in the actual arena.

"During each of my end phases, this card gains 1000 defense points. And it can't be destroyed in battle with monsters that are level 5 or lower. That ends my turn. So my Satellite Base gains 1000 defense points."

"It's my turn, then!" Judai said, drawing his card. "I summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix!" (Def 800)

The flaming female hero appeared on Judai's field.

"Then I play one card face down and end my turn."

Saiou drew his card. "It's my turn. I summon Arcana Force III - The Empress!" (Atk 1300)

The humanoid creature that appeared on Saiou's field was beige in color. It had a clear cape and blue spikes on its shoulders. The card appeared above the monster and started spinning.

"What's going on!?" Judai asked.

"This card has a different effect depending on the position of the card. When summoned, the opponent chooses when to stop the rotation. If it stops upright, then I can summon an Arcana Force monster from my hand every time you normal summon. If upside down, then I send a card from my hand to the graveyard each time you normal summon. So, whenever you're ready."

Judai watched the card spin for a moment before glancing at Asuka. She just eyed him, signaling that he should decide when to stop it. Turning his attention back to the opponent, Judai watched the card again for a moment.

"Stop!"

The card slowed down, coming to a stop. Judai hoped that it wouldn't land upright, but luck wasn't on his side today.

Saiou smiled. "Upright. That means that I can summon an Arcana Force monster each time that one of you normal summons a monster."

Judai gritted his teeth.

"It's okay, Judai," Asuka said. "We can still win this."

"I play one card face down and end my turn."

"It's back to me!" Asuka said, drawing her next card. "I activate Polymerization to fuse the Etoile Cyber on my field with the Blade Skater in my hand, summoning Cyber Blader!" (Atk 2100)

The blue-haired skater appeared on Asuka's field.

"Because you have two monsters on your field, her attack power is doubled! (4200) So, Cyber Blader, attack The Empress!"

Asuka's monster skated over to the enemy, spinning and dealing it a lethal blow.

"Next I play one card face down, and end my turn."

Ojin drew a card. "I sacrifice my Satellite Base to summon Satellite Cannon! (Atk 0) Next, I play two cards face down and end my turn. At this moment, my Satellite Cannon gains 1000 attack points!"

"It's my turn!" Judai said, drawing his card. "I activate Polymerization to fuse the Burstinatrix on my field with the Avian, Bubbleman, and Clayman in my hand! This lets me summon Elemental Hero Electrum!" (Atk 2900)

When the four heroes merged together, a hero in a gold and white costume appeared on the field.

"When he's on the field, his attribute also counts as water, fire, wind, and earth, and he gains 300 attack points for each monster you control that shares an attribute with it!" Judai pointed at the screen showing the Satellite Cannon. "Your Satellite Cannon is a light monster, and Electrum's original attribute is light, so he gains 300 attack points!" (3200)

Ojin's eyes narrowed. "And it's a level 10 monster, so it can destroy my Satellite Cannon."

"Exactly! So, Electrum, attack that satellite!"

Electrum vanished, then reappeared on the screen. He charged the satellite, destroying it, before reappearing on the field.

Judai and Asuka: 8000  
Saiou and Ojin: 5800

"That's it for me."

"Then it's my turn," Saiou said as he drew his card. "I'll start by activating Light Barrier!"

A bright light appeared, covering the entire field and engulfing the players. The card appeared above Saiou's head, spinning.

"Just like before, you decide when the card stops. If it stops upright, I can choose the effects of my Arcana Force monsters when I summon them, and any monster that my Arcana Force monsters destroy donate their life points to the prince and myself."

Judai gritted his teeth. "Stop!" he called after a moment.

The card slowed down, finally stopping right-side up. Judai groaned.

Saiou smiled. "Now, I summon Arcana Force VI – The Lovers!" (Def 1600)

The creature that appeared had a pointed head and looked like it was wearing a black dress. Its eyes were red. The card appeared above it for a moment.

"And I choose its upright effect. Next, I activate my face-down card, The Material Road! When there's a level four or lower Arcana Force monster in my graveyard, I can discard one level five or six Arcana Force monster to add The Spiritual Road from my deck to my hand."

Saiou sent a card to the graveyard, then took a card from his deck and added it to his hand.

"Then I play one card face down and end my turn."

Judai wasn't sure what that trap card was about, but he didn't like it—especially since it was still on the field.

"It's my turn!" Asuka said, pulling Judai from his thoughts. "I summon Cyber Tutu!" (Atk 1000)

The cybernetic ballerina appeared on Asuka's field.

"If you don't have any monsters with less attack points, Cyber Tutu can attack you directly!"

Cyber Tutu twirled over to the opponent, kicking Ojin in the torso.

Judai and Asuka: 8000  
Saiou and Ojin: 4800

"I'm not finished yet! Cyber Blader attacks The Lovers!"

Again, Asuka's monster landed a fatal blow on the enemy monster, wiping it off the field.

"That ends my turn."

Asuka's eyes narrowed—this duel seemed too easy. She and Judai had already reduced Saiou and Ojin's life points by a considerable amount, yet they hadn't suffered a single point of damage.

_They've got to be better than this_, she thought. _After all, they made it to the finals! Besides, I saw their last duel. It lasted five minutes, if that._

Ojin drew his card. "Thank you, Asuka Tenjoin. Now, I activate my trap card, Call of the Haunted! This brings my Satellite Cannon back to the field. Next, I activate Inferno Reckless Summon! When I special summon a monster with 1500 or less attack points and you control a monster, this card summons all monsters with the same name from my hand, deck, and graveyard. So, I summon two more Satellite Cannons from my deck!"

Two more screens turned on, with a satellite appearing on each of them.

"Next, I activate a card you two seem rather fond of—Polymerization! I'll fuse my three Satellite Cannons to summon Satellite Laser Balsam!" (Atk 0)

The three satellites fused together, forming an even bigger satellite.

"I play one card face down, and that will do it for me this turn," Ojin said, a nasty smirk forming on his face. "And, during my end phase, Satellite Laser Balsam gains 3000 attack points!"

"Crap," Judai muttered.

"Yes, 'crap,' indeed," Ojin said. "Maybe you can fix the mess you've made?"

"We're still going to win this, Ojin!" Asuka declared.

Judai glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "She's right, Ojin," he said. "We _are_ going to win! And it's my turn!"

He drew his next card.

_By Asuka's turn, that thing's going to have 6000 attack points,_ Judai thought. _I can't let it stick around for another turn. I've got to get rid of it!_

"Electrum gains 300 attack points for each monster on the field that shares an attribute with it. Your satellite is a light monster, so Electrum's attack power is 3200!"

Even though Judai's monster had enough attack points to beat Satellite Laser Balsam, Ojin didn't look phased. Judai wasn't sure if that was a good thing—was it because Saiou had already predicted the outcome of the duel and Ojin thought all was going as Saiou predicted? Or could that face-down card be...

"I'll have to chance it. Electrum attacks Satellite Laser Balsam!"

"I activate my face-down card, Mirror Force!" Ojin said.

Electrum's attack bounced off a shield, heading back to Judai and Asuka's side of the field. The attack destroyed Electrum, Cyber Blader, and Cyber Tutu. Judai clutched at his chest as the back draft aggravated his wound.

"Well, that didn't go exactly as I planned," Judai muttered.

"You had a plan?" Asuka asked, annoyance clearly showing in her tone.

Judai glared at her but didn't answer. Turning his attention back to the duel, he said, "I summon Elemental Hero Wildheart in defense mode!" (1600)

A wild man with a long black ponytail and a sword strapped to his back appeared on Judai's field.

"Turn end."

Saiou smiled evilly. "Well, you seem to have a little problem, don't you, Judai?" he said, drawing his card.

The card above his head began to spin. "At this moment, we determine the effects of Light Barrier. Tell it when to stop, Judai."

Before Judai could say anything, Asuka called, "Stop!"

The card slowed to a stop, settling in the reverse position. Saiou frowned.

"I activate my trap card, The Spiritual Road! When there's a level 5 or 6 Arcana Force monster in my graveyard, I can add The Heaven's Road to my hand from my deck by sending a level 7 Arcana Force monster to my graveyard."

Again, Saiou sent a card to the graveyard, adding a card from his deck to his hand.

"Next, I activate The Heaven's Road! And, when these three cards are on my field, I can send them to the graveyard to summon Arcana Force EX – The Light Ruler!" (Atk 4000)

The monster had a serpentine tail, two dragon heads, metal claws, and a black body with a humanoid head placed upon its torso, one yellow eye visible on that head. The card appeared above the monster.

"Say when."

Judai glanced at Asuka, who was staring at the card. He got the feeling she didn't trust him much right now. Was it really his fault that Lady Luck seemed to be against him today?

"Stop!"

The card stopped upside down. Saiou smiled.

"The reverse effect. You'll find out what it is later, should it be necessary. For now, let's focus on the attack. The Light Ruler attacks your Wildheart!"

"I activate my face-down card, Negate Attack!" Judai said. "This negates your attack."

"You've managed to pull through this turn, Judai," Ojin said. "But next turn, you'll have my satellite to deal with."

Judai gritted his teeth. "Believe me, Ojin, I know."

"I end my turn," Saiou said. "With that, Satellite Laser Balsam's attack rises to 6000."

Asuka took a deep breath. She knew what she needed—at least to get rid of Satellite Laser Balsam. But she didn't have it in her hand. Glancing at Judai, she knew she had to end this duel before he got hurt again. They had gotten lucky so far, but just the activation of Mirror Force had hurt him.

_He shouldn't be dueling. He should be resting! I've got to end this duel before he puts too much strain on himself! I can't let him get hurt again!_

"It's my turn. Draw!"


	43. Chapter 42

**Sorry for the long wait! I've been staying with my sister since after Christmas, and she doesn't have internet access. But, now, I'm back! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Asuka smiled. "Just what I needed! I activate De-Fusion! And my target is your Satellite Laser Balsam, Ojin!"

"What!?"

"You heard me! However, by the effect of De-Fusion, you get to summon the three Satellite Cannons in your graveyard."

Ojin scowled as his monster split back into the three original monsters.

"Next, I summon Cyber Gymnast!" (Def 1800)

A dark-skinned, blond woman in a purple and black costume and a white mask appeared on the field.

"Cyber Gymnast has a special ability. By discarding a card from my hand, she can destroy an attack mode monster on my opponent's field! I'll discard one card to destroy The Light Ruler!"

"I activate The Light Ruler's effect! The reverse effect: If an effect activates that targets The Light Ruler, the effect can be negated, and the offending card destroyed, by reducing The Light Ruler's attack by 1000."

The Light Ruler's attack fell to 3000, and Asuka's Cyber Gymnast was destroyed.

Asuka scowled. "I end my turn."

Ojin drew, looking very much annoyed. "You may have gotten rid of my Satellite Laser Balsam, but you left me with three Satellite Cannons in its place. I activate Charge! With this, all my Satellite Cannons gain 2000 attack points! Next, I activate Limiter Removal! This doubles the attack of all machine-type monsters I control until the end phase."

The attack of the three Satellite Cannons rose to 4000.

Ojin smirked. "You've only got one monster to defend you. I've got 12,000 attack points total. Even after one of my monsters destroys your defense monster, I'll have enough points left to wipe you out!"

"Go ahead and try it, Ojin," Judai said.

"Satellite Cannon attacks Wildheart!"

The cannon charged up an attack, firing it down toward the hero on the ground.

"I activate my trap, Hero Barrier!" Judai yelled, revealing his face-down card. "This negates one attack if I have an Elemental Hero on the field."

Ojin scowled as his attack was blocked. "Still, I've got two more Satellite Cannons. My second one destroys your monster!"

The laser fired by this cannon connected, destroying Wildheart.

"My last satellite attacks you directly!"

The laser came down on Judai, reducing their life points by 4000.

Judai and Asuka: 4000  
Saiou and Ojin: 4800

When the attack cleared, Judai was on his knees, clutching his chest.

"Judai! Are you alright!?"

"I'm...fine," he answered between breaths. "Just...a little winded, that's all."

Asuka bit her lip; she wasn't so sure that was all. With his wounds, he really shouldn't have been on his feet and dueling anyway. Sitting at a table, sure. Standing in an arena using duel disks? Not so much.

Judai got to his feet, shaking. Ojin was looking smug. "What, one attack and you're ready to collapse? Are you sure you should be dueling?"

"I'm fine, Ojin," Judai answered firmly. "Thanks for your concern."

Ojin sighed. "You still don't know when to give up, do you? Oh, well. I end my turn, so my Satellite Cannons are destroyed because of Limiter Removal."

"It's my turn!" Judai said as he drew his card. He paused, taking some deep breaths. "I activate Miracle Fusion! I'll remove Avian and Burstinatrix in my graveyard from play to summon Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!" (Atk 2100)

Judai's favorite monster, the black and green hero with the dragon head for a hand, appeared on his field as the two material monsters fused together.

"It's got less attack points than The Light Ruler!" Ojin protested. "It'll just be destroyed!"

Judai smiled, holding up the last card in his hand. "Heroes can't bring out their true strength in this arena. Why don't we change the scenery? I activate the field spell, Skyscraper!"

The Light Barrier disappeared, replaced by towering buildings—a city at night. Standing atop one of these skyscrapers, silhouetted against the moon, was Flame Wingman.

"My field spell replaces yours, Saiou," Judai said. "So, Flame Wingman attacks The Light Ruler!"

"It's still got less attack points!" Ojin yelled.

"Not true! With Skyscraper, my heroes gain 1000 attack points if they're battling a stronger monster! Meaning, thanks to The Light Ruler's effect, Flame Wingman has more attack points!"

The hero jumped from the building, charging toward the enemy monster, and shot a burst of flame at it out of its right hand.

Judai and Asuka: 4000  
Saiou and Ojin: 4700

"That's not all!" Judai said. "When Flame Wingman destroys a monster, that monsters original attack is dealt as damage to the opponent!"

Flame Wingman got in front of Saiou, shooting another burst of flame out on him.

Judai and Asuka: 4000  
Saiou and Ojin: 700

_So close, and yet so far_, Judai thought grimly. One turn was all the enemy would need to turn things around in their favor—and he and Asuka had a total of no cards in their hands.

"Turn end."

Saiou drew his card, actually looking angry now. "How dare you try to defy destiny? Your fate was determined before this duel even began! I summon Arcana Force VII – The Chariot!" (Atk 1700)

The monster that appeared on Saiou's field didn't look anything like a chariot to Judai. Chariots didn't have arms, after all, especially not six metal ones. The card appeared above the monster.

"The upright effect will allow me to summon any monsters The Chariot destroys in battle to my side of the field. The reverse effect will give you control of this card."

"Stop!" Judai yelled.

The card stopped upright.

"Upright. Then, should The Chariot destroy your monsters in battle, those monsters join my force. Next, I activate Suit of Sword X!"

The card appeared above Saiou's head, spinning, as usual.

"Best be careful with this one. If it lands upright, then all of your monsters are destroyed. Should it land upside down, then all of our monsters will be destroyed. Now, whenever you're ready."

Asuka bit her lip. "Judai, be careful. If that card stops upright, you'll be leaving us wide open!"

Judai glanced at Asuka out of the corner of his eye. "Are you saying you don't trust me?" His tone was carefully controlled.

"That's not it, Judai! I'm just worried about you, that's all! You shouldn't even be dueling! Look at yourself!"

He looked at her, his expression neutral. "You're worried about me? What for?"

"Judai, this isn't the time for this," Asuka said, blushing.

"There might not be time later, Asuka," he said seriously. "You've pointed out that I'm in no condition to be dueling, and another direct attack would probably do me in right about now. So, if there's anything you need to tell me, speak up."

"I think you already know what for, Judai!"

He raised his eyebrow. "You sure? Because you said something different earlier."

Asuka gaped. Did he seriously believe that? "Well, which one do you think is true?"

Judai shrugged. "Hard to say since you don't seem to want anyone else to know." He turned his attention back to the duel, apparently giving up on getting her to say what she felt. "Stop!"

Asuka thought she was going to be sick as the card slowed to a stop. It couldn't land upright, it just _couldn't._ She let out a sigh of relief when the card stopped upside down.

Saiou looked stunned. "What!? But how!? Fate had deemed _me_ the winner!"

"Fate isn't so easily determined, Saiou!" Judai yelled. "You make your own destiny!"

The Chariot was destroyed, leaving Saiou and Ojin without any monsters on the field whatsoever. Saiou scowled. "Turn end."

Judai glanced at Asuka. "Finish this, will you?"

She nodded, drawing her card. "I activate Monster Reborn to bring back Etoile Cyber!" (Atk 1200)

The prima reappeared, twirling, on Asuka's field.

"Etoile Cyber attacks you directly!"

Etoile Cyber twirled in, dealing the final blow. As their life points fell to zero, Saiou screamed in apparent agony, the Light of Destruction being expelled from his body.

Judai and Asuka: 4000  
Saiou and Ojin: 0

Ojin dropped to his knees. "No. How could we lose!?"

"Ojin," Judai said, approaching the other prince. "Saiou was controlled by evil. The Light of Destruction warped his mind. Do you realize that he was after the satellite controls so that he could destroy the world?"

Ojin's eyes widened. "No, you're lying!"

Denial. Judai had been expecting that. He was about to retort when his knees gave out and he collapsed.

"Judai!" Asuka ran over, worried. "Judai, are you okay!?" She helped him into a sitting position, wrapping her arms around him.

He laughed a bit. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

His tone sounded bitter. Asuka couldn't stand it. "Judai, I'm sorry for what I said earlier. I just didn't appreciate Ojin's teasing." She knew she had to make up for that little lie she told earlier—it was obviously bothering Judai, as trivial as it seemed to her. "I love you, I really do. I just don't want..."

What? What didn't she want? People going around announcing her love for the prince? That wasn't it. Someone teasing them about being in love, as though it was a crime? Maybe.

"It's cool, Asuka." His voice dragged her from her thoughts. "Ojin's pretty good at getting people riled up. That's probably what he was going for. Besides, actions speak louder than words."

"Judai..."

Suddenly their friends were surrounding them. "Come on, mate," Jim said, picking Judai up bridal style. "Let's get you to bed."

Ed had gone over to Saiou, who was regaining consciousness. "Saiou, how are you feeling?" Ed asked.

Saiou glanced at Ed for a moment before looking over at the prince of Neo Space, who was being carried out of the arena. Turning back to his brother, he said, "I'm fine, Ed. Don't worry." His attention redirected to Judai and his friends as he continued. "I believe I owe a debt of gratitude to our prince, however."

Ed didn't answer; he glanced over at Judai. _I guess I misjudged him_, he thought. _He_ did_ save Saiou, after all._

* * *

Emi Ayukawa sighed—yet again the prince was under her care. "I told you that you should rest," she scolded lightly.

"Trust me, I will now," Judai answered. "I don't plan on doing that again."

To lighten the mood, Johan said, "Well, hey! You won the tournament. So, what's your prize, Judai?"

"The world _not_ ending today?"

"There's nothing you want?" Yubel asked.

Judai laughed. "Look, the prize has to be something that both tag partners want. Since I don't want anything that I think Asuka desires as well, I'll just let her pick."

Asuka looked at Judai for a moment, studying him. Finally, she sat on the edge of the bed and asked, "Really? Are you sure you and I don't share any desires?"

He blushed slightly. "Very."

"Maybe you're wrong." She shrugged. "How do you know if you don't ask?"

She was leaning in, causing Judai's blush to deepen. Yubel looked away, obviously disgusted, and Johan wrapped his arms around the purple-haired girl.

"Asuka." The interruption came from the nurse. "While I understand what's going on between the two of you, I do believe that I've already mentioned that the prince needs to rest?"

Asuka pulled back, blushing. Ayukawa was right—Judai was hurt, and he needed to rest.

"Asuka?" Judai looked at her questioningly.

Shaking her head, she said, "Never mind, Judai. You heard the nurse. Get some rest."

She rose to leave, along with everyone else, but Judai grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"Don't leave," he said. "Please."

Asuka hesitated for a moment, which gave Judai time to continue. "I promise, I'll get some rest if you stay. But, if you leave, I can't say what I'll do. You're not leaving me hanging like that and running on home, Asuka," he teased.

She shook her head, smiling. "Alright, I'll stay. But only to keep you out of trouble."

"Not possible," he said, grinning slightly. "You heard my dad. You can try, though."

"Oh, I'll do more than try," Asuka answered. "I'm going to find some way to keep you out of trouble because you spend too much time in here for my liking."

Judai laughed slightly. "You and me, both."

Smiling gently, Asuka said, "Get some rest, Judai. You've earned it."


	44. Chapter 43

**Alright! Here's the last chapter! Enjoy! I don't own Yugioh GX.**

Ayukawa checked Judai over one more time. He was supposed to be getting out of the infirmary today, but the nurse was being overly cautious. At least, Judai thought she was.

"Honestly, Sensei, I'm fine! Just let me go already!"

The nurse shook her head, laughing slightly. "Well, you're obviously feeling better, prince. Still, it's better to be safe than sorry, don't you think? I've seen more than enough of you for one year." As she finished up her examination, she added, "Alright, you can leave now. But don't strain yourself!"

Judai jumped up and headed for the door, saying, "Wasn't planning on it, Sensei!"

* * *

Out in the hall, Judai found his friends waiting for him. Manjoume and Jim were leaning against the wall, Asuka was reassuring Sho about something (probably relating to Judai's health), and Johan and Yubel...were standing rather close to each other.

"Hey, guys!" Judai said.

Sho turned. "Aniki! How are you feeling?"

"Don't worry, Sho. I'm fine. I mean, I'm out of the infirmary, so what were you expecting?"

"So, you aren't planning on getting yourself stuck in the infirmary again any time soon, I hope?" Yubel teased.

Judai shook his head. "No way. In fact, I was hoping we could do something that doesn't involve people getting hurt or going missing."

"So, you're back to normal, idiot?" Manjoume asked. "You've been acting weird ever since that Darkness thing."

Judai rubbed the back of his head, smiling sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that. I treated you guys like crap after that, didn't I?"

"Yeah," Jim nodded. "And most of us still don't know why, entirely."

Shaking his head, Judai said, "Don't worry about it. It's nothing you need to worry about, and it's over now."

Jim shrugged. "If you're sure."

Johan grabbed Yubel's hand and said, "Well, I'm glad you're feeling better, Judai, but Yubel and I have to go. We've got—uh, an appointment."

Yubel rolled her eyes, but she walked off with Johan. Judai raised an eyebrow, watching them go.

"Is it just me, or are those two dating?" he asked.

"It's not just you," Jim said. "Though that reminds me, Akiko's moving to Neo Space, and I promised I'd help her unpack." He started to walk off. "I'll see you later, mate!" he called over his shoulder.

Sho looked from Asuka to Judai before saying, "Yeah, and I just remembered that I've got somewhere to be, too. Coming, Manjoume?" He looked at Manjoume pointedly.

Manjoume humphed. "Whatever," he said, walking off with Sho.

This left Judai alone with Asuka.

"So," Judai asked, "how's it going?"

"I'm fine, Judai," she answered. "I'm not the one who keeps getting hospitalized."

Judai laughed. "Good point."

She smiled. "So, I guess it's high time we figured out what our prize is going to be. I mean, we won the tournament, after all."

Judai shrugged. "You pick. I really don't care."

"Okay, then," she said. "You take me to dinner. At that restaurant your mother likes so much. This time, we're getting a reservation and dressing for the occasion."

Blushing, Judai said, "Are you saying you want a date as your prize? Or just a pricy meal?"

"That depends. Were you planning on asking me out any time soon? I mean, you've already told me you like me. What are you waiting for?"

"A day when someone wasn't trying to kill me?"

Asuka just laughed. "Come on, you said that I could pick, and that the prize could be anything within your power to give."

"Alright, alright. I'll see what I can do," he said, looking slightly unnerved.

Asuka laughed again at his discomfort.

* * *

A few months later, Judai was getting ready for his date with Asuka. "Are you sure I look alright?" he asked Johan for the umpteenth time.

"You look fine, Judai," Johan answered patiently. "Just relax, alright? It's just Asuka."

Judai took a few deep breaths, adjusting the jacket of his tux. Granted, thanks to the difficulty in getting reservations (which he had done without invoking his title as prince), he had already been on several dates with Asuka. Still, that didn't make up for the fact that this one was going to be...

"I can't believe I'm actually wearing this monkey suit," he grumbled, adjusting his tie. "Remind me why I'm doing this?"

"Because you won the tournament and let her choose the prize," Johan answered. "Besides, you do love her, right? And you guys have been on a few dates these past months."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

Johan laughed. "Relax, Judai! You'll be fine, I'm sure."

"Thanks." Judai looked at his watch. "I better get going. I need to pick her up."

"Good luck, Judai!" Johan called after him.

"Thanks, I'm gonna need it!" he said, rushing off for his date.

* * *

"Asuka, you look beautiful!" Momoe gushed. "You're going to turn every head in that restaurant! Right, Akiko?"

Akiko shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Though I still don't know why I have to be here."

Junko glared at her while Momoe adjusted the sleeves of Asuka's dress.

"Just a few minor adjustments and you'll be good to go," she said.

Asuka rolled her eyes. Honestly, she was with Akiko on this one—she didn't know why _any_ of them were here. No matter how many times she insisted that she could handle this herself, Momoe and Junko insisted on coming over anyway. And they had dragged Akiko into it.

"You two..."

"Asuka!" her mother called. "Your date's here!"

"Coming!" she called. "Momoe, will you cut it out? It looks fine the way it is!"

"Okay, okay, just trying to help." She held her hands up in surrender.

Akiko rolled her eyes. "Asuka doesn't need your help to charm the prince of Neo Space. She's got him wrapped around her little finger, and she has for awhile now, from what I can tell."

Asuka blushed. "I'll see you three later," she said, hurrying out the door.

* * *

Judai sat on the couch in Asuka's living room, her parents sitting on the loveseat. While he'd been here a few times in the past months, the two of them were always stunned when the prince came calling for their daughter. This, of course, led to some awkward silences between the two of them and Judai.

_They're going to have to get used to me eventually_, he thought. _Especially if tonight goes as planned._

It was an immense relief when Asuka came down the stairs. Judai stood, and was struck speechless upon seeing his girlfriend.

She was wearing a red evening gown with a sweetheart neckline, half sleeves, and an empire waist. There were flowers embroidered in the skirt, and laces running up the sleeves. Her hair was done up in an elegant French braid.

"You look great," he said after a moment.

"Thanks. You, too."

He blushed slightly. "Well, you ready?" he asked, offering her his arm.

Asuka nodded, taking hold of his arm and walking out with him.

"Have her back by ten!" her father called after them.

Judai grinned back at him. "Really, you think I don't know that by now?"

* * *

At the restaurant, the waiter took them out on the patio, where they ate by the light of the moon. Judai wasn't really focused on the food—he was more focused on the surprise he had planned for Asuka. He still wasn't sure what had possessed him to do this, but he wasn't going to back out now. Halfway through dinner, Judai figured it was about time for him to make his move.

"Asuka," he said, pulling a box from his pocket. "There's something I need to ask you."

"What is it, Judai?"

He walked around the table and knelt down beside her. Opening the box, he revealed a diamond ring.

"Will you marry me?" he asked.

Asuka covered her mouth, staring wide-eyed at the ring. It took her a moment to answer.

"Judai...I don't know what to say."

He didn't speak; he just waited for her to continue.

"Yes," she said after another moment. "Yes!"

Judai smiled, slipping the ring onto her hand. He got up and whispered in her ear, "You do realize that means you're going to be queen of Neo Space someday, right?"

She laughed lightly. "I think I can handle it, Judai," she said.

"I'm sure you can," he said confidently. "Just making sure it doesn't change your mind."

Smiling at him, Asuka said, "Now why would that matter? I've known this whole time that marrying you would make me queen, and I don't care. I love you, Judai. We've already covered this."

Judai smiled at her again. "I love you, too, Asuka."


End file.
